Mourners at the funeral of Hakim Lokman (45), an Iraqi Kurd fatally attacked in Turkey for speaking Kurdish in public, condemned the murder and criticised the government of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG) for its silence. A relative demanded justice and warned of retribution if no action is taken.
A large crowd gathered for Lokman’s funeral on the evening of 2 September, where mourners expressed their outrage over the racist attack in Turkey.
At a press conference following the funeral, a relative of Hakim Lokman called for justice, demanding that the perpetrators be held accountable and urging the KRG to take decisive action in pursuing the case. The relative warned that if the KRG fails to act, the family will seek retribution themselves.
“There are dozens of Turkish soldiers in the Kurdistan Region. We will take the lives of 10 to 20 Turkish soldiers in exchange for Lokman’s blood,” a mourner at the funeral stated.
Neither the KRG nor the Iraqi government have issued an official statement regarding Lokman’s killing. Many in Iraqi Kurdistan believe that the silence from both governments stems from undisclosed agreements with Turkey.
Lokman and several of his brothers and cousins were attacked by a group of 10-12 people in their hotel restaurant in Aksaray, Istanbul on Saturday during a business trip to Turkey, solely for speaking Kurdish. Two of his cousins, Saet Muhsin ve Şêx Bilal, were also injured in the attack.
The Turkish security authorities announced the arrest of seven suspects in connection with the Lokman’s murder on 3 September. The arrests took place in Istanbul’s Fatih district. Among the suspects, a man named only as Hayrettin has been identified as the primary perpetrator, and an employee of the security department in the hotel where the murder occurred has also been named as Uğur Y.
This tragic incident has ignited widespread outrage across Kurdistan, leading to protests against Turkey and widespread condemnation of the racist actions of the attackers.
