Jean-Paul Lecoq, MP for the Democratic and Republican Left, submitted a parliamentary question drawing the attention of the French Minister of the Interior and Overseas Countries to the situation of Kurds in France.

“There is a large community that has been seeking refuge in France for decades,” the motion said, pointing in particular to the persecution in Turkey.

Emphasising the struggle of this “persecuted community in Turkey” against ISIS gangs, Lecoq noted that the Kurds’ “courage is admirable” at a time when ISIS still poses a threat.

The motion stated: “With the murder of three women activists in Paris by the Turkish state eleven years ago, the Kurds are paying a heavy price for their commitment to freedom and democracy. Because France shares these values, the country’s authorities maintain good relations with this community that respects the French Republic.

For some months now, Kurds in France, and in particular political refugees, have been the target of an unprecedented policy of repression. More and more criminal cases are being brought against people accused of financing the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, despite being at the forefront of the fight against Daesh (ISIS) and saving the lives of thousands of Yazidis. Others have had their assets arbitrarily frozen simply for participating in public life, disrupting the daily lives of entire families.

More recently, refugees have lost their refugee status and have been threatened with deportation to Turkey, where they risk torture and death. European judicial institutions have published extensive reports on this issue.

Recently, Serhat Gültekin, a political refugee, was brutally deported to Turkey despite numerous appeals. His most basic rights were violated. He also suffers from Marfan syndrome and will receive no treatment for this serious condition in Turkey. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his activism and his deportation was the subject of media humiliation by the Turkish authorities. He was thrown into prison as soon as he arrived (in Turkey) and, according to his lawyers, was ill-treated by the secret services (MIT). This repression of Kurds in France, an ally, is unjust and dishonourable. It deeply damages the credibility and reputation of the country.”

In this context, Lecoq asked the Minister of the Interior “what measures France plans to take to put an end to this increasing repression against the Kurds and to ensure their protection”.