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Written question asked by Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative) on Thursday, 4 November 2021, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 18 November 2021. It was answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford (Conservative) on Wednesday, 17 November 2021 on behalf of the Home Office.


PKK

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ruling by Belgium's Court of Cassation that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is not a terrorist organisation; and what plans they have, if any, to remove the PKK from their register of terrorist organisations.

Answer

It is Government policy not to comment on whether a group is under consideration for proscription or deproscription.

Partiya Karkeren Kurdistani (PKK) has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK since 2001. It is listed internationally, including by the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The Terrorism Act 2000 allows the Home Secretary to proscribe a group, if she has a reasonable belief that the group is currently concerned in terrorism, and it must be a proportionate action to take. It is this statutory test which the Government applies when considering whether to proscribe an organisation or maintain an extant listing.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL3728
Session
2021-22
Subjects
PKK
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk