Weekly Turkey Report: Third Week Of April – You can kill someone, but you cannot erase them
Executive Summary:
New details have emerged in the investigation into the disappearance six years ago of Gülistan Doku, a university student in Tunceli (Dersim). A confidential witness has alleged that Doku was raped, became pregnant, and was subsequently shot in the head and killed by the Governer’s...
At the start of the now on-hold US-Israeli war against Iran on February 28, 2026, this author speculated on whether or not the United States and Israel would be able to entice the Iranian Kurds’ small, poorly armed, and divided militias numbering possibly 6-10,000 fighters—largely sheltering just across the border from Iran in northern Iraq where they had been chased years earlier by the...
Two weeks ago, I again visited Iraqi Kurdistan—often referred to as the Iraqi Kurdistan Government (KRG)—to deliver the keynote address on “Kurdish Identity” at...
In Turkey, democracy has always been perceived as merely changing the government through elections. The act of holding elections, regardless of the conditions under...
The potential removal of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from terrorism lists by Turkey, the EU, and the US could foster peace and enhance Turkish democracy. This designation often serves political motives rather than reflecting legal truths, complicating peace efforts. Historical context reveals that both Turkey and the PKK share blame for violence. Delisting the PKK might renew negotiations, benefiting all parties, albeit with risks of restoration to the terrorist list if unsuccessful.
