Turkish judiciary toughens stance on ‘Kurdistan’ groups
The word “Kurdistan” is once again becoming taboo in Turkey, with the judiciary targeting parties and civic groups that use the word in their names.
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey — The word “Kurdistan” may be widely used by the Kurds in Turkey, but it has always been met with suspicion by state officials and nationalist quarters who see it as an expression of Kurdish separatist ambitions. After a period of relative relaxation, the word “Kurdistan” seems to be sliding back into its taboo status in recent years, with the Turkish judiciary targeting entities that use the word in their names.
“Kurdistan” had first appeared in the names of illegal organizations decades ago, including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which took up arms in 1984. At the height of the PKK insurgency in the 1990s, using the word in public spaces carried the risk of serious penalties.
Things began to change in the 2000s as Ankara softened its stance toward Kurdish cultural demands. The settlement process between Ankara and the Kurds, which began in 2013, brought about a marked relaxation, leading to the establishment of political parties and civic groups that used the word “Kurdistan” in their names. As a result, the word came to be used in the official dealings of those entities as well as in public life. The state authorities were not completely indifferent, however, cautioning parties to amend their names and charters. Yet in the moderate climate that prevailed at the time, they refrained from further action.
After the settlement process collapsed in July 2015, Ankara toughened its stance on the Kurdish question and authorities’ tolerance ran thin. Stalled proceedings have now been revived and shelved files have been reopened.
