Seven Kurds suspected of financing the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from the Paris region have been placed under investigation by an anti-terrorism judge in Paris. They are accused of terrorist conspiracy, financing terrorism, and organized extortion related to a terrorist enterprise. The PKK, a Kurdish separatist organization engaged in armed struggle against the Turkish government for decades, is classified as a terrorist organization by several countries including France and the United States. The suspects have been released under judicial supervision, against the prosecutor’s requests.
The investigation revealed a campaign of extortion and financing of terrorism in Seine-Saint-Denis in favor of the PKK between 2020 and 2024. Additional charges were brought against another man who continued his criminal activities despite being under judicial supervision. The defendants are believed to be involved in collecting the “revolutionary tax” from Kurdish businesses and community members in France, which the suspects claim is voluntary. Defense lawyers have criticized the French authorities for criminalizing the Kurdish community in France and using anti-terrorism laws to target them.
The defense lawyers argue that the Kurdish people, who have been involved in the fight against terrorism in Syria, should be considered as permanent allies rather than being sporadically supported. They criticized the French authorities for their hypocrisy in targeting the Kurds who also hold the status of political refugees in the country. Recent investigations and arrests related to financing the PKK have also taken place in Belgium, where financial flows from France towards the organization are being traced. The arrests in France were part of a coordinated operation by anti-terrorism units, resulting in eight arrests in various regions.
There have been previous investigations in France targeting the financing of the PKK from within the country, with arrests made in Marseille and other regions. The latest arrests are part of ongoing efforts to combat the funding of terrorist organizations, particularly those involved in armed conflicts in the Middle East. The defense lawyers have raised concerns about the use of anti-terrorism laws to target Kurdish individuals and groups, highlighting the need for a more nuanced approach that takes into account their role in the broader geopolitical context. The case highlights the challenges of balancing national security interests with human rights and the protection of marginalized communities.
