A 45-year-old Kurdish man, Hakim Luqman, was tragically stabbed to death in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday, September 1, 2024. The incident, reportedly motivated by Luqman speaking Kurdish, has sparked outrage within the Kurdish community. Luqman’s family, along with the Independent Commission for Human Rights in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, is calling for an immediate investigation and justice for the victim. This tragic event highlights ongoing tensions in Turkey regarding ethnic identity and language.
The Incident and Victim’s Background
Based on Kurdistan 24 Channel, Hakim Luqman, a 45-year-old resident of Kalakchi district in Duhok province, Iraqi Kurdistan, was killed in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday morning. Luqman, a father of three who owned a car showroom, had traveled to Dubai before arriving in Istanbul. According to his relatives, the fatal attack occurred in a cafeteria when Luqman spoke Kurdish language, provoking an attack from a group of Turkish men. The attackers, numbering around 12, reportedly assaulted Luqman and his relatives, leaving him fatally wounded. Despite the immediate danger, the attackers fled the scene, and the Turkish police have not yet apprehended them.
Family’s Outcry and Ethnic Tensions
Luqman’s family, deeply aggrieved, claims that “he was targeted specifically because of his Kurdish ethnicity”. This incident, they argue, is part of a broader pattern of violence and discrimination against Kurds in Turkey. Luqman’s cousin, Bilal Adel, who witnessed the attack, recounted the horrific event, stating that they were attacked solely for speaking Kurdish language. He emphasized that such violent acts against Kurds in Turkey are not isolated incidents, pointing to a troubling trend of Kurdish people being killed, attacked, and robbed in the country.
The family’s anguish is compounded by their perception that Kurds are systematically targeted in Turkey, and they have called for unity among Kurdish communities, urging them to set aside partisanship in the face of such national issues. They also criticized tourism companies, stressing the need for better protection of Kurdish visitors to Turkey and warning against taking Kurdish families to potentially dangerous areas.
Calls for Justice and Official Responses
The Independent Commission for Human Rights in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has condemned the killing and demanded a thorough investigation by the Turkish authorities. In a statement released on Sunday, the Commission called on Turkey to find and prosecute those responsible for Luqman’s death. The Commission also expressed concern over the safety of Kurdish citizens in Turkey, highlighting the significance of this issue given Turkey’s status as a major tourist destination and a neighboring country to the Kurdistan Region.
Additionally, the Commission urged the Turkish government to take necessary measures to protect all tourists and visitors, regardless of their ethnicity. The lack of immediate arrests following the attack has further inflamed tensions, with Luqman’s family and community members demanding swift justice. They assert that the failure to address such incidents will only exacerbate the already strained relations between the Kurdish population and Turkish authorities.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Kurdish community, both in Iraq and abroad, with many calling for increased international attention to the discrimination and violence faced by Kurds in Turkey. As the investigation continues, the family of Hakim Luqman, along with human rights organizations, remain steadfast in their pursuit of justice, determined that his death will not go unanswered.
