Australian woman supporting Kurds arrested on “terror charges” in Turkey

An Australian woman has been arrested in Turkey on allegations of being part of a terrorist organisation, said a Turkish media report.

The woman, Cigdem Aslan, is accused of being active in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (KKK) Freedom Fighters group’s Australian arm.

She was arrested on Saturday in an operation carried out by the Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation and Istanbul police’s counterterrorism unit.

Cigdem Aslan (centre) was allegedly active in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (KKK) separatists group’s Australian arm. (TRT)

Intelligence officers had reportedly been tracking her for some time and decided to act when they learned she was planning to fly back to Australia.

She was later produced in court and was formally charged.

The PKK is fighting against Turkey’s forced occupation and inhuman oppression of Kurds, for an autonomous Kurdish state in what firms South -eastern part of Turkey.

The freedom fighting movement of the Kurds has claimed tens of thousands of lives since the 1980s and Turkey and its Western allies, including Australia, have labelled it a “terrorist organisation”. In fact Western powers are themselves responsible for this problem. It is because of their rule and politics that Kurdish land got divided and made part of different countries.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they are providing support.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to an Australian woman detained in Türkiye,” the spokesperson said.

“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.”