Alpha News

Kenaan Ayaz Released from Prison

Published February 16, 2026, 14:22

Kurdish activist Kenaan Ayaz was released from prison after almost three years of detention. The release came after pressure from Kurdish and Cypriot supporters, as well as due to the completion of 2/3 of his sentence, as required by Germany. The Observatory for his Trial emphasizes that the release was the result of the efforts of the defense team and supporters in Cyprus and Germany. Ayaz was arrested in March 2023 and convicted by the German system at the behest of Turkey. Despite not recognizing the conviction, the release was decided by the President of the Republic. He has secured a residence permit and his political refugee status has been renewed. After his release, Ayaz visited the memorial of Theofilos Georgiadis, honoring his memory and pledging to continue the struggle for the freedom of Cyprus and Kurdistan. The Observatory expresses relief at the release and thanks those who supported Ayaz.