Free Arash Dosthossein!
On September 20, Arash Dosthossein was arrested in the Munich department for district administration (KVR). He was there in the Foreigners' Office (Ausländerbüro), because the authorities had asked him to come to extend his documents. When he arrived at the KVR, police officers waited for him with an arrest warrant. In connection with his anti-racist and internationalist activities, the department of public prosecution is currently investigating against him in several cases.
Arash is active for years in groups like Refugee Struggle for Freedom. We are faced with the criminalisation of an activist against whom there are several illegitimate investigations. Arash does not want to accept the official restriction of Kurdish symbols, therefore he confesses in the public to symbols of the Kurdish people’s defence units YPJ and YPG. In addition, Arash is a thorn in the side of the German state because of his actions for refugee rights.
The YPG and YPJ symbols stand for the struggle against the IS, the social participation of women and the grassroots democratic approaches in the Middle East. The jihadist wars of aggression have been stopped and thrown back by Kurdish militias in particular. In times of spreading reactionary ideas and actions in the region, the Kurdish resistance is a bearer of hope for a better society. Achieving this is an international task that requires strong solidarity and intensive exchange. Turkey attacks the democratic social structures in Rojava. Germany continues these attacks legally and thus pacts with the Erdogan regime. Kurdish structures are criminalized, people in solidarity regularly experience repression.
While Arash was arrested, the fascist-friendly President for secret service of the interior (Bundesverfassungsschutz), Maaßen, receives support from the Federal Government and rises as State Secretary in the service of the Ministry of the Interior. Seehofer declares migration the „mother of all problems“ and in Chemnitz the fascist forces organise themselves together with the AfD in order to hunt refugees, migrants and left-wing activists. In return, they still receive financial and political support from the secret service of the interior (Bundesverfassungsschutz).
We call on all solidary friends to raise their voices for the release of Arash on Friday 21st September at Karlsplatz/Stachus in Munich at 6 pm. We call on friends* in other cities to organize their own rallies and solidarity messages for the release of Arash.
We will not be intimidated and strongly condemn the criminalization of anti-racist and internationalist engagement. Freedom for Arash and all political prisoners!
