Selahattin Demirtaş pays tribute to Tarık Ziya Ekinci, a pioneering figure in Kurdish Rights, Socialism

Ekinci, a respected Kurdish politician, writer, former TİP Member of Parliament, and High Honorary Board Member of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), passed away today.

Dr. Tarık Ziya Ekinci, a prominent leader in the socialist movement and the Kurdish struggle for rights. (Photo: Archive)
Dr. Tarık Ziya Ekinci, a prominent leader in the socialist movement and the Kurdish struggle for rights. (Photo: Archive)

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Former HDP Co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, currently held in Edirne Prison, released a heartfelt message mourning the loss of Dr. Tarık Ziya Ekinci, a prominent leader in the socialist movement and the Kurdish struggle for rights, who recently passed away.

Demirtaş expressed his sorrow through a post on his social media account, stating, "We will always continue our determined struggle to realize our dear brother Tarık's dreams, while adhering to all the values to which he devoted his life."

The message conveyed deep sadness over the death of Ekinci, referring to him as the "century-old plane tree of the struggle for labor, freedom, and democracy."

Demirtaş extended his condolences to Ekinci's family and the Kurdish community, emphasizing their commitment to carrying forward the ideals and values Ekinci championed throughout his life.

Ekinci, a respected Kurdish politician, writer, former TİP Member of Parliament, and High Honorary Board Member of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), passed away today.

Born in 1925 in Diyarbakır's Lice district, Ekinci graduated from Istanbul University's Faculty of Medicine in 1949 and became a notable figure in politics and human rights advocacy.

He served as a Member of Parliament for the Turkish Workers' Party (TİP) in the 1965 elections and was a former president of the Diyarbakır-Mardin-Siirt Medical Chamber.

The TTB also released a statement mourning Ekinci's death, acknowledging his significant contributions to medicine, politics, and human rights.

They expressed condolences to his family, loved ones, and the entire medical community.