Kurdish Rights Defense Lawyer Shot Dead in Eastern Turkey

Taher Ilchi, a prominent lawyer and activist for Kurdish rights in Turkey, was shot in the head and killed on December 7; an event that has sparked reactions from Turkish leaders and opposition parties, accompanied by protests. Reports indicate that Mr. Ilchi was killed in Diyarbakir, eastern Turkey, after finishing an interview with journalists during a clash between police and an armed individual. The Peoples' Democratic Party, one of the main political parties supporting Kurdish rights in Turkey, has called on citizens to protest this incident. This party has labeled Mr. Ilchi's killing as 'premeditated.' Hours after his death, the streets of Istanbul witnessed protests by groups of citizens, leading to police intervention. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stated that it is still unclear whether he was killed in the midst of the clash in Diyarbakir or if he was murdered. He added that if this prominent activist was murdered, 'the target of this [murder] was Turkey; this attack is an attack on peace and balance in Turkey.' Recep Tayyip Erdogan also stated that this incident demonstrates Turkey's legitimacy in 'its resolve to combat terrorism.' Ilchi was on trial for stating that the PKK is not a terrorist organization, although he condemned the violence of the Kurdistan Workers' Party. Turkey, along with the U.S. and the European Union, has listed the PKK as a 'terrorist' group. The PKK claims to seek greater rights for Kurdish citizens in Turkey. Peace negotiations between the PKK and Ankara were ongoing but ultimately failed. A new wave of violence between Turkey and this group has been ongoing since July, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Over the past three decades, approximately 40,000 people have lost their lives in the conflict between the two sides. There are images and videos showing that at the time of this Turkish activist's death, a gunfight was occurring in the street. According to reports, two Turkish police officers were also killed and several others injured during this armed confrontation. Despite these images, the exact circumstances of Ilchi's death remain unclear. A video released by Reuters shows an undercover police officer repeatedly shooting at an individual who is firing towards Taher Ilchi. In another image, a person is seen lying on the ground with blood coming from their head. Police images show a taxi arriving at the scene, followed by a police officer running towards it, gunfire occurring from within the taxi, two police officers falling to the ground, and an individual fleeing from the taxi. One of the released videos captures the moment of the shooting. Turkish media reported that one police officer was killed at the scene and another died later in the hospital. The Turkish Ministry of Interior stated that the shootings occurred after an unidentified individual fired at police officers from a vehicle. The Dogan news agency reported that after the prosecutor and police officers arrived for investigations, someone or some people shot at them, which apparently led to a police response. At the time of his death, Taher Ilchi had just concluded an interview with journalists regarding a historical minaret that had been damaged in previous clashes.