In the morning, Kurdish refugee Idris Kaplan was detained at his home and transferred to the Vincennes detention centre (CRA) for deportation, the Democratic Kurdish Council of France (CDK-F) announced on Thursday.

“This decision is a direct affront to the fundamental principles of human rights and the right to asylum,” the CDK-F said and pointed out the following:

“Kaplan faces at least 25 years in prison in Turkey, a country where Kurdish rights are systematically violated and political persecution, repression and torture are commonplace. Aware of all these facts, France insists on sending him back to a country where his life and freedom are under serious threat.

By deporting him, France would be violating not only Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but also the principle of non-refoulement enshrined in the Geneva Convention, which prohibits the return of a person to a country where he would be at risk of torture, persecution or inhuman treatment.

Strongly condemning the detention and the planned deportation, CDK-F called on the French authorities to immediately reverse this inhumane decision.

“France, a country of human rights, must stop being complicit in Ankara's repressive policies criminalising Kurds and all political activists fighting for freedom and justice,’ the statement said.

Demanding the immediate release of Idris Kaplan and a halt to all deportation proceedings, CDK-F concluded: “We call on the French community, human rights organisations and all those who believe in justice to take action against this arbitrary deportation, which threatens the life and freedom of a political refugee. France must choose between complicity with an oppressive regime and loyalty to the ideals of justice and humanity.”