The French parliament has adopted a resolution calling on the European Union to formally label the Russian mercenary force Wagner a "terrorist group".
The resolution, which is non-binding and symbolic, passed with unanimous support across the political spectrum.
It highlights the Wagner group’s “many abuses against the civilian population” of Ukraine, some of which could be qualified as war crimes.
'Political message'
“Clearly a political message is being sent,” lawmaker Benjamin Haddad, of the ruling Renaissance group who introduced the legislation, told RFI.
“We are not just faced with mercenaries who are only going after money. This is a terrorist organisation that assassinates and commits massacres of civilians to advance a political gain: to enforce Russia’s aggression against democracies on all continents – of course today in Ukraine, but also in Africa and the Middle East.”
The text quotes German intelligence that found that Wagner “took part in summary executions, mutilations and acts of torture committed on civilians in the Ukrainian city of Bucha”.
Besides Ukraine, the resolution accuses Wagner of abuses in Syria and several African countries, including Mali and the Central African Republic.
Wagner group as terrorists?
Putting Wagner on the EU’s terrorist list would make it easier legally, and financially, to fight the group.
“If you're on the list of terrorist groups, it becomes totally impossible for companies or banks to work with you", Haddad said, giving the example of a charter flight company that might be hired to transport Wagner troops to somewhere in Africa.
Haddad sees France as taking the lead, because it has been the target of Wagner misinformation and propaganda campaigns in Central African Republic and Mali.
The EU last month added Wagner to its sanctions list of individuals and entities, for “actively participating in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine”.
In March, Ukraine thanked the Lithuanian parliament for adopting a resolution designating Wagner as a terrorist organisation.
