Political activist Taylan Kulaçoğlu died yesterday at the age of 44 following a brain hemorrhage. He was taken to intensive care earlier this month, but his condition did not improve.
His lawyer, Tamer Doğan, announced the news on social media: “I so badly wanted to share the news that Taylan had recovered and returned to us, but we lost our friend. There is deep pain in losing such a sincere, generous, and resilient person. Funeral details will be shared later. My condolences to us all.”
Kulaçoğlu first came to public attention during the 2013 Gezi Park protests, the nationwide anti-government demonstrations that drew millions. Since then, he was detained many times on various charges.
In the same year, he was detained as part of an investigation into RedHack, a leftist hacker collective that had targeted email accounts of government officials. He was banned from traveling abroad.
In 2016, he was detained again under the same investigation and formally charged. Authorities alleged his involvement in the hacking of then-Energy Minister Berat Albayrak’s emails.
In 2020, Kulaçoğlu was arrested for his role in launching the İsimsizler Hareketi (The Movement of the Nameless) on social media. He spent seven months in prison and was later barred from leaving the province of Balıkesir, where he resided.
Meral Danış-Beştaş, an MP from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, expressed condolences, saying, “I am saddened to learn that Taylan Kulaçoğlu, who was hospitalized after suffering a brain hemorrhage, has passed away. Death is always early, but this is far too early. He lived a life marked by detentions and prison, always seen as a ‘usual suspect’ by the system. He left behind a legacy of struggle.”
DEM deputy Perihan Koca also shared a message, saying, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Taylan Kulaçoğlu. With every early departure, we feel the pain of losing one more.” (VK)
