Remove PKK from list of banned institutions, say French political groups

French institutions continue to protest police raids of Kurdish community centres and the arrests of members of Kurds in France.

Human Rights League (LDH) Marseille, the World March of Women, the Movement Against Racism and for Friendship between Peoples (MRAP), the Peace Movement, the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA), the French Communist Party (PCF), the Left Party 13 and the Departmental Union CGT, all reacted to the operation against Kurds in a joint statement.

They demanded the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) be removed from the list of banned organisations. “Human rights are targeted in Turkey, Kurds are oppressed in front of the world, and, while this is happening, the oppressive politics against Kurds in France is unacceptable.”

The statement continued: “It is time to remove the PKK from the list of banned organisations. European member states, including France, are now acting outside the law in terms of European justice. The inclusion of the PKK in the list of banned organisations is illegal, as stated in the decision of the European Court of Justice T-316/14, dated 15 November 2018.”