DENMARK, — Following the relative defeat of NATO in Afghanistan, Turkish cooperation is argued to be needed to reinforce NATO’s troop in that country. To appease Turkey and bring her into this cooperation Danish officials play the Kurdish card and seek to close down Kurdish TV broadcasting from Denmark.
Accordingly the Danish prosecutor demanded cancellation of broadcasting license of ROJ-TV, claiming that the Kurdish satellite TV supports Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Speaking to AFP news agency prosecutor Lise-Lotte Nilas said that he sent law incicement to the court which demands cancellation of ROJ-TV’s broadcasting license which was granted by Denmark.
Nilas said he and a group of Danish prosecutors observed ROJ- TV’s broadcasts closely since 2005 and concluded that the Kurdish television supports the PKK.
He also spoke about Danish police’s decision to freeze the assets of ROJ-TV and Mesopotamian Broadcasting in Denmark.
ROJ-TV’s defence lawyer Bjoern Elquist also spoke to AFP saying that an objection was presented against the decision to freeze the assets to the Danish court.
The court will hear both sides on 19 October and announce its decision.
On the other hand NATO General Secretary and former Prime Minister of Denmark Anders Fogh Rasmussen is in Ankara for talks with Turkish officials.
The visit came only weeks before the start date of ROJ- TV proceedings in Denmark.
Peace and Democracy Party MP Bengi Yıldız said he hopes that Rasmussen won’t surrender to Turkish pressure to shut down ROJ- TV. He called Danish authorities to send a delegation to Kurdish cities to see which TV channel they are watching and then make a decision.