Ferhat Koçak, a member of the Berlin State Parliament, condemned the killings of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, describing the attack as a continuation of Turkey’s long-standing assault on press freedom. 

Journalists Cihan Bilgin and Nazım Daştan were killed on 19 December by a Turkish drone in northeastern Syria. Fergat Koçak, a member of parliament with the Left Party (Die Linke), strongly condemned the killings and said that the Turkish state targeted the journalists as part of its efforts to silence the press and prevent the public from being told what is happening in Syria. 

Koçak emphasized that the Turkish state’s recent occupation attacks and massacres against civilians in Northern and Eastern Syria are part of a long-standing policy. He underlined that Turkey’s military operations in Rojava and Başur (South Kurdistan) constitute human rights violations and breaches of international law. He said: "The Turkish state is committing massacres against civilians in Rojava and Başur. These attacks not only target the local populations but also blatantly disregard international law and human rights."

Koçak noted that there is an opportunity for democratization in Syria, but this process must be approached cautiously. He said: "The so-called rebel groups are highly diverse. Among them are ISIS supporters and radical elements with connections to Al-Qaeda. Particularly in areas of northeastern Syria controlled by Turkey, the actions of Islamist militias threaten efforts to create coexistence among different religious and ethnic groups. In this context, Turkey not only supports radical groups to suppress Kurdish demands for self-governance but has also made these operations a part of its broader strategy to eliminate Kurdish gains."

Condemning the killings of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, Koçak stressed that targeting journalists is a serious crime and represents a continuation of Turkey’s years-long attacks on press freedom. He added: "The recent killing of two Kurdish journalists by a drone is a clear example of this. Turkey’s policies are a direct attack on human rights and international law."

'Germany has a responsibility'

Koçak strongly criticized the German federal government for its arms exports to Turkey, and said: "The Turkish army is conducting operations in Kurdish regions that violate international law, and German weapons are being used in these operations. The German government remains silent in the face of these violations because it sees Turkey as a strategic partner regarding refugees. However, this cannot be an excuse to ignore human rights violations in Turkey."

The MP also condemned the criminalization of Kurdish communities and political activists in Germany, calling on human rights defenders and left movements to show greater solidarity with the Kurds.