15 bar associations condemn racist attacks against Kurds in Turkey

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

15 bar associations have released a joint written statement and condemned the recently mounting racist attacks in Turkey.

The bar associations have said, "We condemn these racist attacks leading to grave violations of rights, primarily the violation of the right to life, and we demand an end to the statements paving the way for all types of racist attacks and undermining public peace as well as an urgent and effective investigation into the attacks in their all aspects."

CLICK - One person killed in third racist attack on Kurds in two weeks

CLICK - Seven injured in racist attack on Kurdish seasonal workers

Drawing attention to the fact that the Kurdish identity and Kurdish language are cited as an excuse for the attacks, the bars have reminded the public of the subsequent racist attacks in the recent period:

"According to the news in the press and on social media: An attack was launched against a Kurdish family in Meram district of Konya province on May 12, 2021; the seasonal agricultural workers who went from Diyarbakır and Mardin to Afyon were subjected to a racist attack on July 19, 2021 because they spoke Kurdish; four people were injured, two severely, in an armed attack against a Kurdish family in Altındağ district of Ankara province on July 20, 2021; a racist attack was carried out against a family from Diyarbakır residing in Çarıklıköy in Konya's Meram for 20 years on July 21 and one person has lost his life in the attack."

'They are not isolated, forensic incidents'

The 15 bar associations have underlined that the related attacks must not be considered isolated or forensic incidents, warning against the discriminatory language used by politicians in Turkey:

"The language and policies of violence, along with discriminatory practices, the attacks on the Kurdish identity and language, the weakness of the law enforcement with regards to the security measures against the attacks and the lack of effective judicial activity can be seen as the major reasons behind these results. The use of a language of hate and polarization has an effect on the emergence of such attacks.

"In recent years, the discriminatory language used by political power holders has been paving the way for irreversible incidents in society."

The joint statement has been signed by:

"Adıyaman Bar Association, Ağrı Bar Association, Batman Bar Association, Bingöl Bar Association, Bitlis Bar Association, Dersim Bar Association, Diyarbakır Bar Association, Hakkari Bar Association, Kars Bar Association, Mardin Bar Association, Muş Bar Association, Siirt Bar Association, Şanlıurfa Bar Association, Şırnak Bar Association, Van Bar Association." (KÖ/SD)