The killing of two Kurdish journalists in a Turkish drone strike in Iraqi Kurdistan has sparked widespread protests across Europe, with demonstrators condemning the increasing attacks on journalists in the region and calling for global solidarity to oppose violence against women.
On 23 August 2024, Kurdish journalists Gülistan Tara, originally from Batman in southeast Turkey, and Hêro Bahadîn from Iraq were killed in a Turkish drone attack in Sulaymaniyah (Silêmanî), Iraqi Kurdistan. The two journalists worked for Stêrk TV, a Kurdish media outlet. A third journalist was seriously injured in the attack. This is the latest in a series of attacks on reporters in the region, with another journalist killed in similar circumstances just last month.
The attacks have sparked a strong reaction across Europe, with protests organised to condemn the violence. In Stuttgart, Germany, a large rally took place in the Schlossplatz square, led by the European Kurdish Women’s Movement (TJK-E) and Indian women’s groups. The protest highlighted not only the deaths of Tara and Bahadîn, but also the recent killing of Dr Moumita Debnath in India, who was raped and murdered. The demonstrators issued a universal call for solidarity, urging an end to violence against women in countries such as India, Iran, Turkey and around the world.
The Stuttgart protest attracted significant attention, with participants carrying banners and placards. During the demonstration, slogans such as “Stop the murder of women in India, Iran, Turkey and worldwide” and “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” (Woman, Life, Freedom) were chanted to underline the demonstrators’ demands.
Similar protests were held in other cities, including Chur in Switzerland and Munich in Germany, where participants gathered in central locations to express their outrage. In Chur, demonstrators gathered in front of the main railway station, holding photos of the murdered journalists and protest signs. Kurdish politician Ayşe Acar Başaran, who spoke at the event, accused the Turkish government of specifically targeting the free press and women. She argued that the deaths of Tara and Bahadîn were not an accident but a deliberate act by the Turkish state, reflecting what she described as “the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) regime’s hostility towards women, nature and humanity”.
In Munich, protesters read out statements condemning the killings and chanted slogans such as “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî”, “Bimre Xiyanet” (Down with treason) and “Terrorist Erdoğan out of Kurdistan”, signalling their deep anger towards the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Further protests took place in Bremen, Germany, where activists from the Seve Women’s Assembly led a demonstration in front of the Bremen parliament. The demonstrators condemned the murder of the journalists and called for opposition to the cooperation between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
These protests highlight growing frustration across Europe at the continued targeting of Kurdish journalists and activists, particularly by Turkish forces, and have intensified calls for international intervention to protect journalists and end violence against women worldwide.
