Prominent Kurdish physician, politician Tarık Ziya Ekinci dies at 99
He authored numerous books on the Kurdish question and democratic and human rights issues in Turkey, contributing articles to socialist publications.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Tarık Ziya Ekinci, a distinguished Kurdish physician, politician, and author, passed away on Thursday in Istanbul at the age of 99, as confirmed by the Bosporus metropolis' medical association.
Born in 1925 in Licê, Amed Province, Ekinci pursued medical studies in Istanbul and at the University of Paris, graduating in 1949.
He began his medical career in Licê, Amed, and Istanbul, eventually completing his specialization in internal medicine in 1957. Ekinci then returned to Amed, where he became a leading figure in local medical associations across Amed, Mêrdîn (Mardin), and Sêrt (Siirt).
His contributions included publishing medical articles, organizing congresses, and serving as an honorary member of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) until his death.
In addition to his medical career, Ekinci was a prominent political figure advocating for a democratic resolution to the Kurdish issue. From 1957 to 1960, he was affiliated with the Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP) before joining the Türkiye İşçi Partisi (Workers' Party of Turkey, TIP).
He co-founded the Socialist Cultural Association (Sosyalist Kültür Derneği) and chaired its Amed branch.
Ekinci served as a TIP representative for Amed in the Turkish parliament from 1965 to 1969, holding several positions, including general secretary and parliamentary group leader.
He played a key role in the "Eastern Meetings" on September 16, 1967, which led to the establishment of the Devrimci Doğu Kültür Ocakları (Revolutionary Cultural Associations of the East, DDKO).
Following the military coup of March 12, 1971, Ekinci was sentenced to three years in prison for Kurdish and communist propaganda, serving two years in Amed. During his imprisonment, he focused on "left-wing socialist education" for youth, a commitment he maintained after his release.
Arrested five times after the September 1980 coup, Ekinci fled to France in 1982, working as a physician until 1989. He returned to Turkey on June 30, 1989, completed his sentence, and settled in Istanbul.
Ekinci was also a founder of the Democratic Reconciliation and Initiative for the Solution of the Kurdish Question (DEMOS) and initiated various international appeals for peace in Kurdistan.
He authored numerous books on the Kurdish question and democratic and human rights issues in Turkey, contributing articles to socialist publications.
He served on the academic advisory board of the Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), now the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), and was a member of the advisory board of the HDP (Democratic Party of the Peoples).
A funeral ceremony will be held in Istanbul to honor Ekinci, followed by his burial in his hometown of Licê in Amed.
The passing of this prominent Kurdish figure was honored, as the Kurdistan Region's Prime Minister Masrour Barzani delivered condolences to the family of Ekinci.
Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), announced with sorrow the passing of Dr. Tarık Ziya Ekinci, a distinguished Kurdish writer, politician, and former member of the Turkish parliament.
Read More: PM Masrour Barzani offers condolences for the passing of prominent Kurdish politician
Meanwhile, in Turkey, the famed Kurdish politician and 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.