Eight prominent Alevi organisations in Turkey and the diaspora have demanded an immediate apology and resignation from Turkey’s parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, after he praised an Ottoman-era alliance many Alevis associate with historical massacres of their community on 19 May. The speaker’s comments, made during a public event in Kurdish-majority Şırnak (Şirnex), sparked outrage among the Alevi community, who accused him of glorifying a “genocidal past” and distorting history in the name of national unity.
Speaking at a ‘Civil Society Meeting’ held at the city’s university, Kurtulmuş praised the 1514 alliance between Ottoman Sultan Selim I and Kurdish leader Idris-i Bitlisi (Idris of Bitlis) against the Safavid Empire. “That great alliance in Çaldıran [an adjacent province to Bitlis] allowed Muslim communities in Anatolia to walk with heads held high, in peace and unity,” he said.
The alliance led to the Battle of Çaldıran, a pivotal Ottoman victory that also marked the beginning of mass violence against Alevis, a religious minority often at odds with both Sunni orthodoxy and Turkish nationalism.
Kurtulmuş’s remarks were “an open glorification of Alevi massacres”, declared the Alevi Bektaşi Federation, Alevi Foundations Federation, European Alevi Confederation and others, in a joint statement issued on Tuesday, adding:
“He not only praised Selim I—reviled in Alevi memory—but effectively legitimised the genocide against Alevis by calling the alliance a source of unity and peace.”
Furthermore, the organisations stressed that rewriting or ignoring painful histories was not a valid route to establishing peaceful coexistence in modern Turkey. “Peace and brotherhood cannot be established by distorting the history of Alevi massacres,” the joint statement said.
Criticising what they described as the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) reliance on a “Sunni-Turkish synthesis”, the group argued that such a political vision marginalises minorities and fuels sectarian tension. “This mindset will never lead the country to peace,” they warned, drawing parallels with sectarian violence in Syria involving groups backed by Ankara.
In response, Kurtulmuş told parliament later the same day that his remarks had been misunderstood and expressed regret. “If a single Alevi brother or sister felt hurt, I express my sorrow and sensitivity,” he said. “What I said was meant to highlight unity among Turks, Kurds, Alevis, and Sunnis—never to offend anyone.”
However, Alevi leaders dismissed his response as inadequate and symbolic. “This is not a mere misunderstanding. This is a dangerous narrative that legitimises past atrocities,” said a spokesperson for the Alevi Cultural Associations.
Selim I is remembered in Alevi tradition as the architect of massacres and persecution against Alevis, Kurds, Turkmen and Arabs. Idris-i Bitlisi is seen by many as a collaborator in this violence.
The controversy reignites long-standing tensions between the Alevi community—who make up an estimated 10–15% of Turkey’s population—and the Sunni-majority state institutions, especially under the current government’s embrace of conservative religious nationalism.
The Alevi organisations vowed to continue advocating for “an inclusive and honest peace process” but warned they would resist any attempt to whitewash history.
