Kurdistan Workers' Party
Sanctioned entityGermany. Named in 25 sanctions listings.
Summary
(UE) 2025/1578 du 29/07/2025 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001) (FondementJuridique: 3978)
(also PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KADEK, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, PKK, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, KGK)
(also KONGRA-GEL, KGK, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, PKK, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE)
Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê
(UE) 2023/1505 du 20/07/2023 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001) (FondementJuridique: 3612)
(also KONGRA-GEL, KADEK, KGK, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, PKK, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE)
(also KONGRA-GEL, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KADEK, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE, PKK, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, KGK)
(also KONGRA-GEL, KADEK, KGK, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, PKK, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE)
(also KONGRA-GEL, KADEK, KGK, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, PKK, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE)
(also KONGRA-GEL, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KADEK, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, PKK, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, KGK)
PKK
The Director Disqualification Sanction was imposed on 09/04/2025.
Name Kurdistan Workers' Party: PKK
(also KONGRA-GEL, KADEK, KGK, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, PKK, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE)
(also KONGRA-GEL, KADEK, KGK, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, PKK, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE)
(UE) 2021/1188 du 19/07/2021 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001) (FondementJuridique: 1150)
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party was formed in 1978 and initially sought the creation of an independent Kurdish state in south eastern Türkiye, Syria and Iraq. It now calls for greater Kurdish autonomy.
(also KONGRA-GEL, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KADEK, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, PKK, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, KGK)
(UE) 2025/206 du 30/01/2025 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001) (FondementJuridique: 3871)
(also KONGRA-GEL, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KADEK, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, PKK, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, KGK)
(UE) 2026/1878 du 30/07/2026 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001) (FondementJuridique: 4208)
(UE) 2026/456 du 26/02/2026 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001) (FondementJuridique: 4102)
(also KONGRA-GEL, KADEK, KGK, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, PKK, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE)
(UE) 2022/1230 du 18/07/2022 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001) (FondementJuridique: 2411)
2003/902/CE du 22/12/2003 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001) (FondementJuridique: 476)
(UE) 2023/420 du 24/02/2023 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001) (FondementJuridique: 3532)
Formally established in Turkey in 1978 by Abdullah Ocalan, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK / KADEK) is a Kurdish political party whose main goal is the creation of an independent Kurdish state in southeast Turkey and in northern Iraq, a region that is part of the traditional territory of the Kurdish people. The PKK has conducted guerrilla ambushes and hit‐and‐run attacks on Turkish army convoys and outposts, typically using assault rifles, remote‐controlled improvised explosive devices, and rocket‐propelled grenades. Its activities include attacking the Turkish military, diplomats and Turkish businesses at home and in some western European cities. It has also been known to bomb resorts and kidnap tourists in an attempt to destabilize tourism in Turkey. In September 2022, PKK militants claimed that they had targeted a police station, in the Bagok mountain region of Turkey, with firearms and killed one police officer, and wounded at least one other. In October 2023, suicide bombers detonated an explosive device near an entrance of Turkey’s Interior Ministry, wounding two police officer. Turkish authorities identified one of the attackers as a member of the PKK.
(also KONGRA-GEL, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, KADEK, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, PKK, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, KGK)
(Date of UN designation: 2002-05-03)
Name PKK: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê
(also KONGRA-GEL, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, PKK, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, KGK)
(also KADEK, KGK, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, PKK, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE)
(also KONGRA-GEL, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KADEK, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, PKK, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, KGK)
(also KONGRA-GEL, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KADEK, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, PKK, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, KGK)
(also KONGRA-GEL, KADEK, KGK, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, PKK, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY)
(also KONGRA-GEL, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KADEK, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, PKK, KGK)
(also KONGRA-GEL, KADEK, KGK, PARTIYA KARKERAN KURDISTAN, HALU MESRU SAVUNMA KUVVETI, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, PKK, PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF KURDISTAN, KURDISTAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY CONGRESS, KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, THE PEOPLE'S DEFENSE FORCE)
Sanctions and listings25
- Listed
- 27 Jul 2012
Reciprocal
OFACUS SAM Procurement ExclusionsUnited StatesActive
Prohibition/Restriction
Redacted for Security Reasons
- Effective
- 6 Jul 2002
テロリスト等 / 米国等が資産凍結等の措置を実施した個人及び団体
Ministry of FinanceJapan Economic Sanctions and List of Eligible PeopleJapan
Reference 16mof.go.jp
- Listed
- 27 Jul 2012
Reciprocal
OFACUS SAM Procurement ExclusionsUnited StatesActive
Prohibition/Restriction
Redacted for Security Reasons
Canada Counter-Terrorism (Criminal Code) Sanctions Regime
Public Safety CanadaCanadian Listed Terrorist EntitiesCanada
Programme CA-UNSC1373publicsafety.gc.calaws-lois.justice.gc.ca
Lista persoanelor, grupurilor și entităților cărora li se aplică măsurile menționate la articolele 2 și 3 din Poziția comună 2001/931/PESC
Centrul Antiterorist al Serviciului de Informaţii şi Securitate al Republicii MoldovaMoldovan Sanctions for Terrorism and Proliferation of WMDMoldova
- Listed
- 8 Oct 1997
Counter Terrorism - FTO
Office of Foreign Assets ControlUS OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) ListUnited States
SDNTK, block, FTO and SDGT
Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
Unknown
Programme US-TERRReference 4702treasury.govofac.treasury.gov
Official designation
Bundesamt für VerfassungsschutzGermany Banned organizations involved in foreign-related extremismGermany
Vollzug des Verbots: 22. November 1993 Verbotsgründe: Strafgesetzwidrigkeit, Gefährdung der inneren Sicherheit und öffentlichen Ordnung sowie außenpolitischer Belange Deutschlands.
EU Specific Measures To Combat Terrorism - (UE) 2023/1505 du 20/07/2023 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001); (UE) 2026/456 du 26/02/2026 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001); (UE) 2026/1878 du 30/07/2026 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001); (UE) 2021/1188 du 19/07/2021 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001); (UE) 2025/206 du 30/01/2025 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001); (UE) 2022/1230 du 18/07/2022 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001); (UE) 2025/1578 du 29/07/2025 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001); (UE) 2023/420 du 24/02/2023 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001); 2003/902/CE du 22/12/2003 (UE personnes impliquées dans des actes de terrorisme - R (UE) 2580/2001)
Direction Générale du TrésorFrench National Asset Freezing SystemFrance
Programme EU-TERRReference EU.3678.2gels-avoirs.dgtresor.gouv.frsanctionsmap.eu
Australia's Counter-Terrorism (UNSCR 1373) Sanctions Regime - 1373 (2001)
Department of Foreign Affairs and TradeAustralian Sanctions Consolidated ListAustralia
Targeted financial sanction
Instrument of first listing: Charter of the United Nations (Anti terrorism — Persons and Entities) List 2001 (No. 2). Last listed on: 13/09/2025 - Charter of United Nations (Listed Persons and Entities) Amendment (No.2) Instrument 2025
Programme AU-UNSC1373Last updated 13 Sep 2025dfat.gov.audfat.gov.au
- Listed
- 27 Jul 2012
Reciprocal
OFACUS SAM Procurement ExclusionsUnited StatesActive
Prohibition/Restriction
Redacted for Security Reasons
- Listed
- 27 Jul 2012
Reciprocal
OFACUS SAM Procurement ExclusionsUnited StatesActive
Prohibition/Restriction
Redacted for Security Reasons
- Listed
- 27 Jul 2012
Reciprocal
OFACUS SAM Procurement ExclusionsUnited StatesActive
Prohibition/Restriction
Redacted for Security Reasons
- Listed
- 16 Mar 2005; 21 Jul 2023; 1 Aug 2015; 14 Jan 2020; 29 Jun 2007; 22 Dec 2003; 2 Apr 2004; 16 Jul 2008
EU Specific Measures To Combat Terrorism
Federal Public Service FinanceBelgian Financial SanctionsBelgium
2003/902/EC (OJ L340)
2023/1505 (OJ L184)
2020/19 (OJ L8I)
2004/306/EC (OJ L99)
2015/1325 (OJ L206)
2005/221/CFSP (OJ L69)
2007/445/EC (OJ L169)
2008/583/EC (OJ L188)
Programme EU-TERRfinance.belgium.besanctionsmap.eu
- Effective
- 10 Feb 2010
New Zealand Counter-Terrorism (UNSCR 1373) Sanctions Regime
New Zealand PoliceNew Zealand Designated Terrorist EntitiesNew Zealand
Programme NZ-UNSC1373police.govt.nzpolice.govt.nzpolice.govt.nzpolice.govt.nzpolice.govt.nzpolice.govt.nzpolice.govt.nz
Official designation
La Principauté de MonacoMonaco National Fund Freezing ListMonaco
(UE) 2024/329 du 16/01/2024, 2003/902/ce du 22/12/2003, (ue) 2025/206 du 30/01/2025, (ue) 2023/420 du 24/02/2023, (ue) 2024/2055 du 26/07/2024, (ue) 2023/1505 du 20/07/2023, (ue) 2021/138 du 05/02/2021, (ue) 2022/1230 du 18/07/2022, (ue) 2025/1578 du 29/07/2025, (ue) 2021/1188 du 19/07/2021, (ue) 2022/147 du 03/02/2022 and (ue) 2026/1878 du 30/07/2026
Autorité de désignation publiée : Union européenne
- Listed
- 27 Jul 2012
Reciprocal
OFACUS SAM Procurement ExclusionsUnited StatesActive
Prohibition/Restriction
Redacted for Security Reasons
- Listed
- 27 Jul 2012
Reciprocal
OFACUS SAM Procurement ExclusionsUnited StatesActive
Prohibition/Restriction
Redacted for Security Reasons
- Effective
- 17 Dec 2005
Listed Terrorist Organisations
Attorney-General of AustraliaAustralia Listed Terrorist OrganisationsAustralia
Listed as terrorist organisation under Criminal Code Act 1995
Programme AU-TERRORnationalsecurity.gov.aunationalsecurity.gov.au
- Listed
- 27 Jul 2012
Reciprocal
OFACUS SAM Procurement ExclusionsUnited StatesActive
Prohibition/Restriction
Redacted for Security Reasons
Official designation
UK Home SecretaryUK Proscribed Terrorist Groups or OrganizationsUnited Kingdom
- Effective
- 31 Dec 2020
UK sanctions relating to international counter-terrorism - The Counter-Terrorism (International Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
UK; Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeUK FCDO Sanctions ListUnited Kingdom
Asset freeze, arms embargo and director disqualification sanction
"The PKK is a Kurdish terrorist organisation, proscribed by the UK, the EU and NATO, which was formed in the late 1970s and has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks, mainly against Turkish state security forces but also civilians. Its attacks are mainly carried out in Turkey’s largely Kurdish southeast. Cooperation exists between the PKK in Turkey and other Kurdish armed groups in the region situated along the Öcalan axis of support. These like-minded groups identify as being under the cross-border umbrella of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK).
'The PKK is a Kurdish terrorist organisation, proscribed by the UK, the EU and NATO, which was formed in the late 1970s and has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks, mainly against Turkish state security forces but also civilians. Its attacks are mainly carried out in Turkey’s largely Kurdish southeast. Cooperation exists between the PKK in Turkey and other Kurdish armed groups in the region situated along the Öcalan axis of support. These like-minded groups identify as being under the cross-border umbrella of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK).
Programme GB-ICTReference 7231Reference CTI0036Last updated 9 Apr 2025gov.ukgov.uk
- Listed
- 31 Jan 2025
- Effective
- 3 May 2002
EU Specific Measures To Combat Terrorism - TERR
Directorate‑General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets UnionEU Financial Sanctions Files (FSF)European Union
Designation date published: 2002-05-03
regulationType=amendment; organisationType=council
2025/206 (L 202500206)
Programme EU-TERRReference EU.3678.2eur-lex.europa.eusanctionsmap.eu
- Listed
- 27 Jul 2012
Reciprocal
OFACUS SAM Procurement ExclusionsUnited StatesActive
Prohibition/Restriction
Redacted for Security Reasons
US Immigration and Nationality Act Section 219
U.S. Department of StateUS Department of State Foreign Terrorist OrganizationsUnited States
Programme US-FTO219state.govcongress.govcongress.gov
- Listed
- 27 Jul 2012
Reciprocal
OFACUS SAM Procurement ExclusionsUnited StatesActive
Prohibition/Restriction
Redacted for Security Reasons
Other names84
Also known as78
Show 60 moreShow fewer
Weak aliases6
Spellings the source flags as too generic to establish a match on their own.
Addresses1
Türkiye
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