Ten Turkish Kurds Charged With Funding PKK in Paris

MOSCOW, January 28 (Sputnik) – Ten Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin were charged Wednesday in Paris for sending funds to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), French Le Monde reports.

The men received between one and four years in prison. The court also fined the Center for the Kurdish People in Marseille 50,000 euros and called for its shutdown. The center was collecting a so-called “revolutionary” tax, money intended to help the PKK’s struggle in the Middle East, from members of the Kurdish diaspora and organizing fundraising events under the disguise of cultural activities, parties and concerts. The investigation has found out that the center was able to raise 300,000 euros annually, Le Monde says.

The investigation started after two people complained about the forceful nature of the fundraising campaign. In November 2008, a man complained to police that he was subjected to violence inside the center when members of the PKK told him to pay 5,000 euros. The second complaint came from another member of the Kurdish community, who was “asked” to pay 15,000 euros to support the PKK. Both men said they were scared for their own and their families’ safety, French Le Populaire reports.

According to the investigation, every member of the Kurdish diaspora had a certain amount of money he/she had to contribute to the center. If members of the community did not want to pay the “revolutionary” tax, they were harassed over the phone. If this did not work, the center would send enforcers to get the money from victims using force, Le Populaire says.

The United States, the European Union (EU) and Turkey consider PKK as a terrorist organization. PKK has been fighting the Turkish government forces since 1984. In 2013, the two sides agreed on a ceasefire, which held until September 2014, when the PKK attacked Turkish policemen over alleged maltreatment of Syrian Kurds by Ankara. Last year, Turkish President Tayip Erdogan said he considers both the Islamic State and the PKK as terrorist organizations.