France bans Turkish group accused of promoting violence against Kurds, Armenians

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The French government announced on Wednesday it had “dissolved” a Turkish ultranationalist group for promoting discrimination and hatred and provoking violence against Kurds and Armenians. Ankara vowed it will respond.

“The ‘Grey Wolves’ movement was dissolved by the Council of Ministers as per instructions of the President of the Republic,” tweeted French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, adding it “incites discrimination and hatred and is involved in violent actions.”

Established in 1965 to boost Turkish nationalism, the Grey Wolves mainly attract Turkish youth to join their cadres. It is affiliated with Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which is a political ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemned the decision, claiming the French government relied on the actions of individuals rather than those of the group.

"This hypocritical attitude and the provocative decision taken today on the pretext of preventing violence are reminiscent of the negative record of France in the fight against terrorist organizations,” read a statement from the ministry.

"We emphasize that the freedom of association, expression and demonstration of the Turkish community in France should be preserved as per universal human rights and regulations,” it stated, adding Turkey “will respond to this decision in the harshest way."

France’s move against the Grey Wolves follows the group’s defacement of an Armenian genocide memorial in Lyon and against a background of intense communal tensions in France between its Armenian minority and the Turkish community over the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey has strongly backed its ally Azerbaijan in the fight over Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but controlled by Armenian separatists.

The decree from the French president, published by the interior minister, states that the Grey Wolves’ leader in France, Ahmed Cetin, has promoted on social media “an ideology tending towards discrimination or provoking violence against people of Kurdish or Armenian origin."

Cetin appeared before a judge in Bourg-en-Bresse in mid-September for allegedly committing a “hate crime” after a group of Turkish nationalists attacked Armenians in Lyon protesting against Azerbaijan. In a live video on social media this summer, Cetin had said, “If the Turkish government pays me a monthly salary of 2,000 euros and gives me weapons, I will do what is required anywhere in France.”

The public prosecutor demanded six months jail time and a five-year ban from participating in politics for the 23-year-old one-time politician. His lawyer claimed that Cetin is no longer involved in politics. He was a candidate in 2017 parliamentary elections, but was later issued a ban for questionable expenses. The court is expected to make a final decision on Thursday.

Tensions between Paris and Ankara are high as the NATO allies are at loggerheads over a number of issues including the situation in Libya, Syria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and maritime rights in the eastern Mediterranean.

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