The founder of one of the largest Muslim charity foundations in France said on Wednesday that he and his team were seeking asylum in Turkey to continue their humanitarian work.
In a series of Twitter posts in Turkish, Idriss Sihamedi said the French government had decided to dissolve French Muslim charity BarakaCity, which helps nearly 2 million people in 26 countries. He requested asylum in Turkey, tagging President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a post on Twitter.
Some Islamic non-governmental organisations and mosques in France are under threat of closure following the murder this month of French teacher Samuel Paty, which was committed by an 18-year-old with Chechen origins.
In October, French authorities have closed Sihamedi’s NGO and a well-known mosque in Paris. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin wants to expel 231 Islamist radicals and shut down aid groups he deems fronts for radicalism, according to the Economist.
Ahval