Imprisoned Kurdish journalist forced to speak Turkish at hospital

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Imprisoned Kurdish journalist Zeynel Bulut was forced to speak in Turkish by soldiers while receiving medical treatment due to his illness.

Bulut, an editor of the Xwebûn newspaper, was taken to Gazi Yaşargil Education and Research Hospital on May 14th following his health issues.

According to Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Bulut communicated his complaints in Kurdish to the doctor at the hospital. In response, soldiers on duty at Diyarbakır's 2nd High-Security Closed Prison intervened, saying, "Speak Turkish, you speak Turkish."

Expressing his objection to the soldiers' intervention, Bulut said, "Don't be racist, I will speak in whatever language I want. Kurdish is my mother tongue, and I can express myself better in Kurdish. Therefore, you have no right to dictate which language I should speak."

The doctor tried to convince the soldiers, saying, "The patient can speak in whichever language they feel comfortable expressing themselves." However, the soldiers replied, "Kurdish speaking is prohibited, why don't you understand? Speak Turkish."

According to the report, after the argument, the soldiers handcuffed Bulut tightly, without allowing him to undergo an examination, and took him back to the prison where he is being held.

Bulut announced through his lawyers that he would file a criminal complaint.

Bulut is one of the 15 journalists arrested on June 16, 2022, on terrorism charges, along with his colleagues in Diyarbakır.

Xwebûn, published weekly, is the only Kurdish newspaper printed in Turkey. (NT/VK)