2011–2012 Kurdish protests in Turkey

2011–2012 Kurdish protests in Turkey
2011–2012 Kurdish protests in Turkey
Part of Kurdish–Turkish conflict and Serhildan; the impact of the Arab Spring
Date	24 March 2011 – 18 November 2012
Location	Turkey
Caused by	Political repression, suppression of Kurdish language, institutional racism, discrimination, centralization of authority, ban on several Kurdish parliamentary candidates, Turkish military operations against the PKK
Goals	Lifting of a ban on Kurdish candidates, reinstitution of Kurdish-language education, creation of an autonomous Kurdish region, release of political prisoners, end of military operations against Kurdish dissidents
Methods	Civil disobedience, civil resistance, demonstrations, online activism, protest marches, rioting, sit-ins, strike actions, friday prayers
Concessions	Ban on some Kurdish candidates lifted; Compensation paid to families of 34 civilians killed in Uludere airstrike ; Hatip Dicle allowed to be a candidate for MP, however, after the election, Turkey's Supreme Election Board (TSK) cancelled his parliament membership. ; Kurdish language lessons allowed in schools.; Start of Turkish-Kurd peace process
Parties
Peace and Democracy Party; Koma Civakên Kurdistan; Peace Mothers	Government of Turkey; Justice and Development Party; Turkish Armed Forces; Turkish Police Force; Village Guards
Lead figures
	Pro-Kurdish Leaders:; Selahattin Demirtaş; Gülten Kışanak; Leyla Zana; Ahmet Türk; Aysel Tuğluk; Osman Baydemir; Nurettin Demirtaş; Hatip Dicle; Pervin Buldan; Sebahat Tuncel; Ayla Akat Ata; Government Leaders: Abdullah Gül; Recep Tayyip Erdoğan; Beşir Atalay; Osman Güneş; İdris Naim Şahin; Vecdi Gönül; İsmet Yılmaz; Military Commanders: Işık Koşaner; Necdet Özel; Bekir Kalyoncu;
Number
More than 100,000 protesters	Some officers
Casualties
Death(s)	3
Injuries	308
Arrested	2,506

The 2011–2012 Kurdish protests in Turkey were protests in Turkey, led by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), against restrictions of Kurdish rights by of the country's Kurdish minority's rights. Although they were the latest in a long series of protest actions by Kurds in Turkey, they were strongly influenced by the concurrent popular protests throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and the Turkish publication Hürriyet Daily News has suggested that the popularly dubbed "Arab Spring" that has seen revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia may lead to a "Kurdish Summer" in the northern reaches of the Middle East. Protesters have taken to the streets both in Istanbul and in southeast Turkey, with some demonstrations also reported as far west in Anatolia as İzmir.

From 24 March and 10 May, a total of 2 protesters were killed, 308 injured and 2,506 detained by Turkish authorities.

The protests declined in July after a new breakout of violence between state forces and Kurdistan Workers' Party rebels.

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