The Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmuş, received an Ezidi delegation in Ankara on 21 January 2026. The meeting took place at the Assembly Presidency Council Meeting Hall and included several members of parliament and local officials. Among those present were AK Party deputies from Batman and Bingöl, as well as the Mayor of Midyat.
According to information released after the meeting, the discussions centred on the demands, expectations, and concerns of Ezidis living both in Turkey and abroad. Kurtulmuş stated that he attaches importance to initiatives aimed at addressing Ezidi issues and expressed satisfaction with hosting the delegation at the national assembly.
During the meeting, emphasis was placed on Turkey’s internal diversity in terms of ethnicity, belief, culture, and language. Kurtulmuş underlined that these differences should be recognised as a shared social reality and managed through inclusion rather than exclusion. He further highlighted the need for political approaches that reduce tensions and prevent internal divisions.
The Speaker also referred to recent developments affecting peoples across the broader region, stressing that destabilisation efforts have harmed multiple populations and that cooperation among regional societies is necessary to counter such dynamics. Within this framework, the concept of a “terror-free Turkey” was presented as a long-term political objective requiring dialogue and participation from all segments of society.
The Ezidi genocide in Sinjar was addressed during the meeting, with Kurtulmuş reiterating condemnation of the mass killings and inhumane treatment suffered by Ezidis. Responsibility for regional violence was framed within broader geopolitical power struggles rather than internal societal divisions.
Kurtulmuş stated that the Assembly Presidency would continue to follow developments related to the demands of Ezidis living in Turkey and abroad, in coordination with members of parliament. He indicated that the parliament views engagement with Ezidi representatives as part of its institutional responsibility.
AK Party Deputy Ferhat Nasıroğlu provided information on previous meetings and initiatives involving Ezidis in Turkey and in the diaspora, noting that efforts are ongoing to identify practical solutions to the issues raised.
Orhan Onat, President of the German Ezidi Unity and Solidarity Committee, also participated in the meeting. He highlighted the importance of dialogue in the current political climate and explained that Ezidi representatives have held consultations among themselves to formulate shared positions. A written file containing these views and demands was formally submitted to the Speaker of the Assembly.
The meeting represents a rare instance of direct engagement between senior Turkish parliamentary leadership and organised Ezidi representatives. For Ezidis, such encounters are closely watched, not only for symbolic recognition but for whether they lead to concrete political, legal, and social outcomes addressing long-standing grievances.
