Former co-chair of the Mezopotamya Language and Culture Research Association (MED-DER), Rıfat Ronî, was arrested on Friday following a series of raids on Kurdish language institutions in Diyarbakır (Amed).
Ronî, who has been a key figure in promoting Kurdish language education, was among 30 individuals detained on 24 September in an operation widely condemned by rights groups as an attack on Kurdish linguistic and cultural rights.
The raids, targeting MED-DER, a bookstore, and a language education cooperative, were part of an investigation led by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. According to reports, the arrests were based on accusations from a government informant and two secret witnesses. Although 28 of the detainees have since been released, Ronî was remanded in custody on charges of “organisational membership”. Another detainee, Dilan Güvenç, was released under judicial control.
These actions have sparked outrage among Kurdish activists and human rights groups. PEN Norway condemned the raids as “a serious violation of the Kurdish people’s linguistic and cultural rights,” while local bar associations denounced the detentions as unlawful and politically motivated. “The right to speak and promote one’s native language is a basic human right, and criminalising this work prevents the Kurdish people from developing their language,” said a joint statement from seven regional bar associations.
The crackdown has also fuelled protests across the Kurdish-majority region, with demonstrators decrying the government’s repression of Kurdish identity and culture. Kurdish author Adil Ercan criticised the state’s actions, stating, “The Kurdish people have always faced oppression because of their language, but we will continue to live with it.”
Ronî’s arrest comes amid heightened tensions between the Turkish government and the country’s Kurdish population, as authorities continue to target Kurdish cultural and educational institutions.
