Turkey condemns Danish court for failure to ban Kurdish TV network

Turkey has labelled a Danish court "irresponsible" after it solely fined the owners of Kurdish station Roj TV despite finding it guilty of promoting terrorism. The international satellite TV network which is based in Denmark was, says prosecutors, financed and controlled by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is labelled a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. Between February 2008 and September 2010 the court found the TV channel had "one-sidedly and uncritically disseminated (PKK) messages, including incitement to revolt and to join the organisation". The court, however, did not revoke Roj TV's broadcasting licence on 10 January and instead imposed fines of 65,000 Danish crowns (US$11,100) each on the two companies which run it, according to Reuters. "This is an absolutely irresponsible decision far from prudence ," said Turkish Minister for EU Affairs Egemen Bagis. The Turkish Government has long called for Roj TV to be banned while the PKK continues its near three decade long armed struggle for Kurdish rights and independence.