In Their Name, We Protest
They were punished for speaking. We speak louder.
Widad Hussein was a Kurdish journalist who worked with RojNews, a news agency close to the PKK. He was known for reporting on human rights abuses and corruption involving the Kurdish security forces and the KDP. On 13 August 2016, Widad was kidnapped in Duhok. Hours later, his body was found. He had been tortured and beaten to death. His friends and family said he was being watched and threatened by the Kurdish intelligence services before he was killed. His case was never properly investigated. Many believe he was murdered for telling the truth.
Soran Mama Hama was a 23-year-old journalist in Kurdistan, who wrote about drug trafficking and corruption. In 2008, he published an article that linked police and powerful figures in Kirkuk to prostitution and criminal activity. He received death threats after the article was released. On 21 July 2008, someone shot him outside his home. Soran had even written a Facebook post before his death saying, “If anything happens to me, the government is responsible.” Years later, no one has been arrested. His murder remains unsolved.
Hiro Bahadin and Gulistan Tara were Kurdish journalists and media workers. They were working in areas affected by the Turkish military's attacks on Kurdish fighters. In August 2024, a Turkish airstrike killed both of them. They were not armed. They were not fighters. They were trying to report what was happening in the region. Many people believe they were targeted to stop the world from seeing what Turkey was doing in Kurdistan.
Jihan Taha was a teacher known for speaking out about injustice. She supported protest movements and was respected for her honesty and bravery. In October 2023, she was killed in a PKK-controlled area. She was targeted because of her views, her death was mourned by many Kurds inside and outside the region. Even after her death, people continue to speak her name at protests and gatherings, calling for justice.
Khwanas Wirya, a Kurdish artist and critic of religion, was shot ten times in public on 22 June 2023 in Chamchamal by a PUK-affiliated soldier. While his attackers were arrested, and the killing sparked national debate, Wirya’s outspoken beliefs made him a target. His death demonstrated that speaking truth—even as an artist—can bring violent consequences under Kurdish authorities.
Sherwan Sherwani is a Kurdish journalist and editor who was arrested in October 2020. He was accused of "destabilising the region" after he published articles exposing corruption and the abuse of power. He was also known for supporting the teacher protests in Kurdistan. Sherwan was held for months without proper legal rights, and was tortured. In February 2021, he was sentenced to six years in prison, along with four other activists. International organisations said the trial was unfair. He is still in prison today.
✊🏼These are just a few of the names we know — but there are so many others we don’t. So many lives taken in silence. So many families left without answers. For every face shown here, there are hundreds more who were killed, tortured, or disappeared simply for daring to speak the truth. Their stories never made the news. Their names were never spoken aloud. But they mattered. Every one of them mattered. This page is for them too — the unseen, the unheard, and the forgotten.✊🏼