Updated

German prosecutors say they have formally charged a 58-year-old Turkish man with "membership of a foreign terrorist organization" for his role in the Kurdish separatist group PKK.

Prosecutors said Wednesday that Bedrettin K., whose last name wasn't given in line with privacy laws, is suspected of being a regional leader of the PKK in Germany. They say the man, using the codename "Ali," was responsible for PKK activities in various parts of Germany from 2012 until his arrest in August 2015, including collecting donations and organizing propaganda events.

The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S., the European Union and Turkey. Tens of thousands of people have been killed since the PKK started its fight in 1984 for Kurdish autonomy in southeast Turkey.