The Human Rights Association (İHD) has reported that more than 27,000 people were detained in Kurdish cities across Turkey between 2015 and 2024, in a period marked by severe repression and restrictions on freedom of assembly. The report, published on Friday, details the banning of 570 protests and the disruption of 361 demonstrations in the region over the nine-year span.
Speaking at the launch, İHD Diyarbakır (Amed) Branch President Ercan Yılmaz called attention to the alarming scale of the violations. “We have been urging all sides to resolve the Kurdish issue through dialogue and negotiation,” Yılmaz said. The report also emphasised the role of authorities in imposing arbitrary bans on protests, which in some cities were renewed every two weeks or even imposed indefinitely.
The report, which focuses on violations of the rights to protest and personal security, highlights an alarming increase in detentions, house raids, and the use of excessive force by security forces. In 2024 alone, there were 60 protest bans and 36 instances of police intervention, resulting in 53 people being injured. Between 2015 and 2024, a total of 27,984 people were detained, and at least 436 civilians were injured during protests, while 25 people lost their lives, mainly due to the use of excessive force by the police.
Yılmaz stressed that the data shows how the state’s response to protests has reached “frightening” levels. “We are calling once again for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue,” he said, adding that the violations reflect a significant deterioration in human rights in the region.
İHD’s Honorary President, Akın Birdal, underscored the urgency of finding a peaceful resolution. “Turkey has wasted many opportunities to resolve the Kurdish issue democratically and peacefully,” Birdal remarked. “It is time for collective action and dialogue, otherwise, we cannot talk about democracy or human rights in this country.”
The report calls on the Turkish government to end arbitrary restrictions on peaceful assembly and to stop criminalising those who take part in protests. It also highlights the need for independent investigations into human rights violations and for Turkey to comply with international human rights standards.
