İstanbul’s Florence Nightingale Hospital reported on Monday that Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a prominent pro-Kurdish politician, is facing increasing life-threatening risks due to a deteriorating neurological condition following heart surgery. The 62-year-old Deputy Speaker of Turkey’s Parliament and member of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party has been in intensive care since 15 April.
Önder, also part of the İmralı shuttle delegation mediating Kurdish-Turkish peace talks, underwent heart surgery after a cardiac arrest. While his heart function has shown some improvement, his neurological state has worsened, with reduced reflexes and persistent brain swelling. “His condition is at another critical juncture,” the hospital stated, noting that Önder remains on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), a life support system that takes over heart and lung function, and inotropic drugs to stabilise blood pressure.
Prof Dr Çavlan Çiftçi, one of Önder’s doctors, said, “Neurological assessments are showing declining reflexes, and there is persistent swelling in the brain, raising serious concerns.” The medical team confirmed that recovery remains uncertain despite stable kidney and liver function. Dr Ertan Sağbaş added, “The right side of the heart is now contracting, which is encouraging, but neurological recovery is lagging significantly.”
A surgical revision on 25 April confirmed no infections or internal bleeding, resolving a minor drainage issue. However, the hospital reiterated that Önder has remained unconscious since admission, with weak reflexes and ongoing risks to brain function.
Önder is a key figure in Turkey’s pro-Kurdish political landscape, advocating for Kurdish rights and mediating between the DEM Party, which promotes equality and democratic reforms, and government institutions. He has played a significant role in peace negotiations between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a militant group seeking greater Kurdish autonomy, in the 2010s in the run-up to previous talks, in 2013-15 during those talks, and in recent times with the İmralı delegation.
