THE TRIAL of three men charged under terrorism legislation for carrying Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) flags at a demonstration began yesterday.

Ismael Akdogan, 43, Rotinda Demir, 21, and Rahman Pwr, 23, are all accused of carrying or displaying an article supporting a proscribed organisation between BBC Broadcasting House and Downing Street during a protest on January 27 against the Turkish bombing of Afrin in northern Syria.

The PKK was banned in March 2001 under section 13 of the Terrorism Act, which makes it an offence for someone to wear, carry or display an article so to arouse “reasonable suspicion that he is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation.”