Turkish ultra-nationalist Grey Wolves will be officially banned in France today, French Ambassador to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte told Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoryan today.
During the meeting, the Ombudsman presented evidence about the atrocities and cruel treatment of the Azerbaijani armed forces against civilians, including the use of prohibited cluster munitions and weapons containing chemical elements against civilians, the use of firearms and the massive destruction of civilian infrastructure.
“I expressed my condolences to the French people on the terrorist attack on the Notre Dame Cathedral in Nice and expressed my concern to the Ambassador in connection with the recent actions in France based on hatred against ethnic Armenians, emphasizing the protection of the security and rights of Armenians,” Arman Tatoyan said in a Facebook post.
The French Ambassador to Armenia strongly condemned the cases of vandalism and attacks against French citizens of Armenian origin and Armenian citizens and informed the Defender that the French Council of Ministers had decided to ban the Turkish nationalist Grey Wolves (“Bozkurt”) organization in France, because of the latter’s ultra-nationalist activities, and the recent attacks against Armenians.
“It is a known fact that during the April 2016 War, as well as now, the torture, atrocities and cruel treatment are carried out by members of the Turkish nationalist Grey Wolves organization in the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, or are carried out by using their methods,” the Ombudsman said.
The decision to outlaw the group comes after a memorial to the Armenian genocide near Lyon was defaced with pro-Turkish slogans.
The Grey Wolves, an international organization, is seen as allied to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The memorial was daubed with yellow graffiti that included Mr Erdogan’s initials.
The ban will mean that any activities or meetings by the group could lead to fines or imprisonment, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.
