25 September 2024 –

Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann expresses serious concerns along with PEN International and Norsk PEN, following police raids on two Kurdish associations and a bookstore in Diyarbakır, southeastern Türkiye, resulting in several individuals being detained and hundreds of books seized on alleged terror-related grounds. PEN International urges the authorities of Türkiye to respect the right of Kurdish people to use and promote their own language and culture. 

Please read PEN International and Norsk PEN full statement here and here.

“The raids, which included the detention of several MED-DER members and the seizure of educational materials in Kurdish dialects, signify a troubling trend of systematic repression against institutions dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Kurdish language and culture” (Norsk PEN).

‘Kurdish people have the right to use their own language in public and in education and to receive information in their mother tongue. Our linguistic riches should be celebrated, not destroyed.’ Burhan Sonmez, PEN International President.

From Norsk PEN page: “Ömer Fidan, Co-President of Kurdish PEN Center, asked for support from the PEN network regarding the attacks. Fidan said:

– As far as I could learn, 25 people were detained in Amed/Diyabakır. These are all close friends of mine who I personally work with, see almost every day, and work on the Kurdish language. I have worked for years in all of the civil society organizations mentioned and continue to do so.  As the Kurdish PEN Center, we hope that you, our valuable rights defenders, will not withhold your support. We wish that you, our valuable friends, will also support us and join us as the PEN international family and add your voice to ours.”