Over 70 Violations Against Kurdish Language and Culture Recorded in Turkey in 2025

At least 70 violations targeting Kurdish language and culture were documented in Turkey in 2025, spanning public spaces, media, the arts and prisons, according to an annual report by the Kurdish Language Rights Monitoring and Reporting Platform.

Education in Kurdish remains largely limited to elective courses and private institutions, since the right to education in one's mother tongue is not recognised in Turkey. Artistic and literary works face arbitrary bans, and artists are frequently targeted.

Kurdish newspapers, magazines and social media accounts are censored or blocked, public signage in Kurdish is removed, and traditional Kurdish music and dance at weddings are criminalised.

Speeches by lawmakers in Kurdish in parliament are cut off, with official minutes recording the language as "unknown". (Bytes Europe)