Protest against repression of Kurds in Paris

A demonstration was held in Rue La Fayette, in Paris, where three Kurdish women politicians, Sakine Cansiz, Fidan Dogan and Leyla Saylemez were murdered on January 2013.

The Kurdish Democratic Council in France (CDK-F) had launched an appeal calling on all associations and civil society organisations to join them to protest against the wave of repression launched by France.

Speaking at the rally, CDK-F spokesman Agit Polat drew attention to France's repressive policies towards the Kurds.

Polat reminded how Turkey actually expressed its gratitude to the French authorities for their repression of Kurdish activists.

Polat thanked the collective, which is composed of many NGOs, trade unions and political parties that was formed to react to the repression and threats against Kurds.

The manifesto signed already by many organisations reads: "We, political and trade union organizations, French civil society, condemn the wave of repression currently being waged by French justice against Kurdish activists, who are committed to finding a political solution for Kurdistan."

The manifesto recalled that on 12 June, the day before Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian visited Turkey, several searches were carried out by the French police and some activists from the Kurdish democratic movement were taken into custody. The Turkish counterpart praised the action taken by France against the Kurdish movement. 

Two activists, Agit Polat and Vedat Bingöl, spokesmen and former co-chair of the Kurdish Democratic Council in France (CDK-F), have seen their assets frozen on the decision of the ministries of the economy and the interior.