Hakim Luqman, a Kurdish man from Duhok, killed in Istanbul early Sunday morning, for speaking in Kurdish
Hakim Luqman
Kurdistan Region man reportedly killed in Istanbul for speaking Kurdish
NEWSROOM — A Kurdish resident of Duhok province in the Kurdistan Region was reportedly fatally stabbed by a group of 12 Turkish individuals in Istanbul early Sunday morning, allegedly for speaking in Kurdish, according to a relative.
Akram Nasrullah, the cousin of the victim, Hakim Luqman, told 964media, “A group of 12 people attacked him with knives and stabbed him to death.” Nasrullah added that Luqman’s nephew, who was present during the attack, was also wounded.
Both injured individuals were reportedly detained by the police after the incident, while the attackers fled the scene. According to Nasrullah, the altercation began when Luqman spoke Kurdish in a café, which allegedly provoked a reaction from Turkish ultra-nationalists, leading to his killing.
964media has not independently verified the account.
The victim, 45, was from the Kelakchi sub-district of Duhok. A car dealer and father, Luqman had traveled to Istanbul from Dubai and planned to stay for three days before returning to the Kurdistan Region. His family is now on their way to Istanbul to investigate the circumstances of his death and to repatriate his body.
Anti-Kurdish sentiment has long-standing historical roots in Turkey, characterized by political, social, and cultural repression. This hostility dates back to the early years of the Republic of Turkey and has persisted through various government policies aimed at suppressing Kurdish identity and culture.
In recent years, these sentiments have continued to manifest through discrimination against Kurds, including restrictions on Kurdish political activities, media, and cultural expressions. For many years, Kurdish names were banned, and until recently, parents could not register their children’s names in Kurdish. Moreover, the Kurdish language is still not fully recognized or taught in schools, despite being spoken by millions of people across Turkey.
Villagers in Amedi's Guharze raise Kurdistan flag in protest against Turkish military operations
Report: Hundreds of civilians killed, injured in Kurdistan Region due to Turkish and Iranian military operations
Nine villages emptied due to ongoing Turkish offensive in Duhok
Turkish bombardment burns 125 acres of farmland and orchards in Duhok
