French politicians and activists who took part in the march held in Paris yesterday to demand justice and truth for Sakine Cansiz, Fidan Dogan and Leyla Saylemez, who were murdered in Paris on 9 January 2013, shared with ANF their comments and feelings.

A crowded march marked the anniversary of the murder of the three Kurdish women politicians and showed solidarity with the hunger strikers.

Pascal Torre (Member of the Communist Party of France):

I have been in this march for six years to demand justice. Rojbin [Fidan Dogan] was a very close friend of mine. The Kurds were not given justice. We will always side with Kurds in their struggle. Our requests are: the disclosure of the suspects of the three women murders, on the other hand, the liberation of the HDP deputies. The HDP is today the party that represents Kurds and the party that can provide peace and democracy of Kurds.

Marie Therese Martinelli (World Women March-Marche Mondial ):

It is a scandal that 6 years after the murder, this crime is still unresolved. Justice must be done as soon as possible. The judiciary should not be subjected to politics. I do not think that the Kurdish issue is a matter of terror and in this sense, in the recent days the request to include 3 Kurdish leaders in the ’terrorist list’ is an attitude that will not serve anything other than deepening the war.

Renee le Mignot (Anti-Racism Movement-MRAP President):

We have been following the Kurds for 20 years. We always side with them. I knew Rojbin very well. For 6 years we're marching demanding justice. We know the Turkish secret service is behind this massacre. But we want this to be revealed in an official way. The Court waited a long time, the suspect died in that time. France needs to play its role at this point in order to ensure justice. The police have enough information. What are they trying to hide? We will be here and everywhere siding with Kurds until the day when we finally get justice. On the other hand, I would like to point out that it is not normal to include 3 Kurdish leaders on the terrorist list.

Pierre Laurent (French Communist Party, PCF - Paris Senator): This murder is clear to us, but we will be here until the Court closes this case and reveals the true criminals. The conclusion of this case is essential. So we will continue this struggle.

We condemn the decision to not strike out the PKK from the terrorist organisations list. On the other hand, we cannot forget that hunger strikes are going on. Leyla Güven is on the verge of death. This is a very valuable struggle. And we cannot forget the Rojava reality. Because of all this, we will always side with Kurds. Today we are here to demand justice for the victims of the Paris murders.

Jan Christophe (Left Party, PG - Central Committee Member):

We have been following the struggle of the Kurds for 15 years. The reason we are here is to demand justice for the 3 Kurdish women politicians murdered in Paris. On the other hand we also side with Kurds in the implementation of their model in Rojava. At the moment, political prisoners are on hunger strikes, an action they undertook after Leyla Güven who have been fasting for over 60 days. Leyla Güven wants the end of the isolation imposed on Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan. The Kurdish people want to end the isolation. We support this just demand. I must say that the liberation of Öcalan is also essential for us, because Öcalan is the central, the most fundamental actor in the solution of the Kurdish issue. That is why we think that freeing Öcalan is very important and this should not be delayed. On the other hand the PKK should also be removed from the terrorist organisations list.

Danielle Simonnet (co-chair Left Party of France, PG):

I have been in solidarity with the Kurds for 6 years. We know who is guilty. And France is quiet. They keep silent because France is afraid of the possibility of the deterioration of relations with Turkey. We know very well that the Turkish secret service carried out this massacre and the French state remained silent.

Now hunger strikes have reached a critical stage. Leyla Güven and other political prisoners are carrying out this action for peace. We should show solidarity to the Kurdish people and especially Kurdish women.

I would like to say that on 16 January, the Left Party (PG) will visit the hunger strikers in Strasbourg, while a delegation will go to Leyla Güven’s hearing in Turkey on 25 January.

Laurence Cohen (Senator of Val de Marne and former President of Women's Rights Delegation):

The Kurdish people are fighting for freedom and peace. As I am in solidarity with Kurdish women, I have joined this march.

As a French, I am very sorry: after 6 years, 3 women who were brutally murdered are still awaiting justice. The massacre took place in Paris.

I, as a senator, communist and feminist woman, want this case to be reopened and the murderer not be left unpunished.

Today I walk here with Kurds to say that racists and right wing groups and parties should stop their policies against all oppressed peoples, like the Kurds.