The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) on Rojava vs. Turkey continues in Brussels, placing Turkey’s actions in North and East Syria under international scrutiny. The tribunal, held at the Free University of Brussels (VUB), has brought together human rights activists, legal experts, and survivors of Turkey’s military operations to present evidence of ethnic cleansing, targeted attacks on civilians, and economic exploitation.
Despite being invited to defend itself, the Turkish government refused to attend, resulting in an in-absentia hearing.
On the second day of the tribunal, targeted femicides took centre stage, with Barbara Spinelli, acting as advocate for the victims, presenting detailed evidence on crimes committed in the Cizîr (Jazira) region. She highlighted the assassinations of prominent women leaders such as Hevrîn Xelef, Yusra Muhammed Derviş, and Zeyneb Muhammed, asserting that these attacks were part of a broader strategy to dismantle the gender dimension of democratic governance in Rojava.
“Women are not only physically targeted but also subjected to psychological warfare,” Spinelli stated, referencing international cases to underscore the systemic nature of these attacks.
Spinelli showcased reports from Amnesty International confirming that Turkish-affiliated militias were responsible for these targeted killings. Eyewitness testimonies and video footage revealed that even those attempting to aid victims were targeted by drone strikes, amplifying the terror and forcing mass displacement of civilians, particularly women and children.
Dr Oriseas Xristo presented evidence of the deliberate destruction of cultural and historical sites in northern Syria. He highlighted how Turkish forces targeted archaeological landmarks and religious monuments, aiming to erase Kurdish identity from the region. “These attacks are calculated moves to destroy the cultural fabric of the Kurdish people,” Dr Xristo emphasised, presenting photographic documentation and reports from local witnesses.
Legal experts Ceren Uysal and Jan Fermon had presented the tribunal’s indictment yesterday, highlighting Turkey’s systematic violations of international law. Uysal stated, “Turkey is conducting ethnic cleansing in the region, which constitutes a crime against humanity. It continues to violate the very conventions it has signed, targeting both civilians and essential infrastructure in deliberate war crimes.”
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Fermon underscored Turkey’s use of water supply control as a form of collective punishment: “Turkey is seizing control of water networks, endangering public health, and forcing local populations to leave. This is not just a humanitarian issue; it is a calculated strategy to reshape the region demographically.”
So far, the tribunal has also heard testimonies detailing economic exploitation, including the looting of Afrin’s olive oil industry and the erasure of Kurdish cultural heritage through forced demographic changes and religious manipulation.
As the proceedings continue, the tribunal aims to hold the Turkish state accountable and push for international intervention to protect civilians in North and East Syria.
