European court rejects pro-PKK channel's case

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Thursday rejected a case lodged by Roj TV against Denmark, for cancelling its broadcasting license on the grounds that it had spread propaganda for the PKK terrorist organization.

The EU court "has unanimously declared the application inadmissible. The decision is final," read an ECHR press release.

The case challenged a conviction for terrorism offenses by Danish courts, for spreading terror propaganda through television programs broadcast between 2006 and 2010.

The channel was fined and its license was withdrawn. In the meantime, Roj TV declared itself bankrupt in March 2013.

The ECHR found that the Danish court's decision did not breach Article 10 of the Convention about freedom of expression, since its programs "had included incitement to violence and support for terrorist activity, which had been in violation of Article 17 (prohibition of abuse of rights)."

"Thus the complaint by Roj TV A/S did not attract the protection of the right to freedom of expression," said the ECHR.

Listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, the PKK has waged a wide-ranging terror campaign against the Turkish state since the mid-1980s, in which an estimated 40,000 people have been killed, including women and children.

PKK resumed its armed campaign against Turkey in July 2015. Since then, it has been responsible for the deaths of 1,200 security personnel and civilians.