PKK/KCK PRESSURE AND THREATS AGAINST KURDS IN EUROPE — MAY 2026
Monthly Human Rights Monitoring Report — May 2026
INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL ASSESSMENT
This report has been prepared by European Kurdish Rights Watch (EKRW) on the basis of documented cases, threats, and attack records occurring during the period of May 2026. The report documents the systematic intimidation, threats, harassment, and acts of violence perpetrated by members of the criminal organisation PKK/KCK against Kurdish intellectuals, artists, activists, and community representatives residing in Europe.
In May 2026, the PKK/KCK criminal organisation continued to intensify its campaign of pressure and threats against Kurdish intellectuals and activists living in Europe. All of these threats were carried out by members of the PKK/KCK criminal organisation who reside in Europe under refugee status. The attacks in question constitute concrete evidence demonstrating that the criminal gang is able to operate in an environment of open impunity on European soil.
The documented cases reveal that European countries face a serious legal and security gap in preventing PKK/KCK-linked criminal activities.
ALLEGATIONS OF PKK/KCK–TURKISH INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION
There are serious indications that the documented pressure and threats are being carried out not only by members of the PKK/KCK terrorist organisation, but also in coordination with Turkish intelligence (MIT). In this context, the following case is particularly noteworthy:
The individual identified as residing in England, who uses the alias "Uncle Zaza" on social media and whose real name has been determined to be "Yılmaz," regularly opens audio rooms (Spaces) on the X platform with a PKK official (using the false name Mehmet Kerdo) who has been identified as working as a taxi driver in England, and attempts to publicly legitimize PKK's cooperation with the Turkish state. This individual made the following statements in an X Space broadcast dated 03.05.2026:
"An operation is coming, an operation. Those statements are not made for nothing. You will see soon. I actually knew this months ago, but since Ruşen Çakır said it, let us say it too. Because I did not want to bring trouble upon myself. A serious operation is coming. The Turkish government had been working on this three or four months ago, claiming that Kurdish nationalism was damaging the process. Lists have been prepared, that is to say, arrests are about to begin."
It is evident that a person who knew and publicly disclosed the details of such a covert state operation months in advance is no ordinary citizen. According to EKRW's assessment, such information could only be in the possession of individuals with direct links to Turkish intelligence services.
The fact that Kurdish nationalism is the common enemy of both the PKK and the Turkish state, and that similar lists are compiled by the terrorist organisation, reveals the relationship between the terrorist organisation and the totalitarian state. This situation indicates that Turkish intelligence is conducting operations through the PKK/KCK terrorist organisation to guide and suppress Kurds from within.
DOCUMENTED CASES: RECORDS OF THREATS AND ATTACKS
The following is a chronologically classified presentation of the threat and attack cases documented by EKRW during the period of May 2026. All threat contents have been taken from raw sources and are reproduced without alteration.
Prior to the emergence of the internet, the PKK terrorist gang distributed disinformation bulletins targeting individuals it planned to attack. Since the proliferation of the internet, it has continued its campaign of pressure and assaults against targeted Kurdish intellectuals, activists, and artists through social networks by means of defamation, insults, and threats. On the one hand, the terrorist gang eliminates the right to speak and freedom of thought within the Kurdish public sphere, condemning Kurds to silence; on the other hand, it silences all criticism through the threat of violence, rendering PKK/KCK terrorist gang leader Abdullah Öcalan and his gang immune from criticism.
The cases listed below should be read and understood within this context. These are not ordinary reactions — they are criminal acts carried out by the digital extensions of a terrorist gang that operates under an absolute hierarchy.
CASE 1: SYSTEMATIC THREAT AND ATTACK ACTIVITIES OF PKK/KCK MEMBER MAHMUT ATİLA
Perpetrator Profile
The perpetrator uses the alias "Roni Atila" on social media; his real name is assessed to be Mahmut Atila. He is identified as having travelled from Mersin province in Turkey to France, and is established to be residing in Paris under refugee status. His account on the X platform bears the handle @atilam135.
An examination of the perpetrator's social media accounts reveals that in one photograph he is wearing a T-shirt bearing a Turkish flag on the chest; given that the name "Atilla" holds symbolic significance in Turkish nationalist discourse, this is assessed as potentially indicating an organic connection between the perpetrator and Turkish intelligence services. Furthermore, on 10.07.2025 and 12.07.2025, the perpetrator filed reports on the X platform to Turkey's Ministry of Interior and the General Directorate of Security (@EmniyetGM). This constitutes significant evidence that he may be actively collaborating with Turkish state institutions.
Threats Against Artist Mem ARARAT (17 May 2026)
Renowned Kurdish artist Mem ARARAT shared a video recording on 15.05.2026, informing the public that PKK/KCK-linked institutions had violated his rights, defamed him, and issued threats against him. Following this statement, a coordinated online mob campaign targeting the artist was launched on social media by PKK/KCK supporters.
As part of this campaign, Mahmut Atilla explicitly threatened artist Mem ARARAT on 17.05.2026 and called upon PKK/KCK members across all European countries to attack the artist's concerts:
"If he ever gives a concert in Europe, I will go on stage and shove the microphone up his arse. Just try coming to Germany and France one more time! All patriots in Europe — the moment you see this scoundrel, shove his instrument up his arse!"
The term "patriot" used in this threat is a coded concept employed in PKK/KCK organisational terminology to designate members of the organisation. The call in question constitutes an instruction to all PKK/KCK members across Europe to attack the artist's concerts. The fact that this call was made two days after Mem ARARAT's statement suggests it was written not as a spontaneous reflex, but pursuant to an organisational directive.
An examination of the X account of the PKK criminal organisation member who uses the false name Roni Atila and whose real name is assessed to be Mahmut Atila reveals that he consistently posts criminal content, including threats to rape the female relatives of certain individuals. Some of these contents are as follows:
Threat Against Artist Şivan PERWER (18 October 2024)
Mahmut Atila had previously issued similar threats against renowned Kurdish artist Şivan PERWER on 18 October 2024:
"You dishonourable son of a dishonourable man. If you give one more concert in Europe, I will shove your instrument up your arse. Traitor, dishonourable wretch."
Threat Against İbrahim Halil BARAN (17 May 2026)
On the same date that Mahmut Atila threatened Mem ARARAT (17.05.2026), he issued the following threat against PAKURD founder İbrahim Halil BARAN:
"I will come to the Netherlands and tear your arse apart!"
Insult Against Kurdish Historian Bedel BOSELİ (16 May 2026)
"You wretched dog! A clown like Mem Ararat, who owes everything to this movement, betrayed first the movement (PKK) and then his wife once he gained a little fame. Evidently having to live with the consequences of that betrayal has been hard on him, which is why he is barking right now."
Threat Against Writer Aydın DERE (18 March 2026)
"MIT should destroy you. The state whose dog you are has given you too many bones, which is why your barking has increased. We will come and shove those bones up your arse in Switzerland."
Threats of Sexual Violence Against Women
The perpetrator's savage threats are not limited to public figures. An examination of the perpetrator's archive of past posts reveals that he has systematically threatened multiple women with rape:
"You whore, you harlot! With that rag on your head your hands will be bound and every man who comes will do as he pleases with you. Those days will come too! (08.03.2025)"
"I will put that bag over the heads of all the women in your lineage and do to each of them one by one... (25.01.2026)"
Legal Assessment: Despite the fact that all of the above posts by Mahmut Atilla constitute clear criminal offences, it appears that none of them has to date been subject to any judicial proceedings. This concretely demonstrates the inaction of French authorities in the face of PKK/KCK-linked criminal activities.
CASE 2: SYSTEMATIC THREAT AND ATTACK ACTIVITIES OF SELMAN ASLAN, PKK/KCK MEMBER AND STERK TV EMPLOYEE
Perpetrator Profile
The perpetrator named Selman ASLAN, residing in Belgium, is a central figure in the PKK/KCK terror gang's digital media attack, threat, and disinformation operations. This gang member, who holds a position of responsibility, operates multiple accounts on the Twitter/X platform under the names @marinabagoke, @bagokmarin92, @selmanaslan1427, and @ciratvselman — all using his own photo. On these pages, which he operates using his own photo, the gang member conducts PKK terror gang propaganda centered on TV; through numerous fake/troll pages, he targets Kurdish writers, intellectuals, artists, and activists who criticize the PKK terror gang and its leader Abdullah Öcalan — who is under the influence of Turkish intelligence — subjecting them to character assassination through inhumane methods and various slanders, and issuing death threats.
The fake account with the handle @Mazlum92403899, which was suspended by X due to its inhumane content, is one of the gang member's primary hitman/troll pages. Through this page, the gang member has carried out numerous attacks against individuals designated as targets by the PKK terror gang.
As previously documented by our organization, the terror gang member intensively attacked Kurdish writers İbrahim Halil BARAN, Necat ZANYAR, and Aydın DERE through this account in January and February 2026, acting on instructions from the PKK terror gang. Investigations revealed that the page operating under the fake name Kurdistan's Mountains (@ciyayenkurd), which also conducts the terror gang's disinformation and threat activities in the same vein, is likewise associated with this gang member.
The hitman/troll accounts through which the threats documented in our report were made are the newly identified fake accounts under the names Adar Deniz (@Wa_Bori7) and Siya Borî (@ZDara14581). These accounts are the pages most intensively used by PKK gang member Selman ASLAN over the past two years for PKK threats and smear campaigns. Some of the criminal content identified through examination of both pages is as follows:
Threats Against Artist Nizamettin ARİÇ (15 May 2026)
Painter and artist Nizamettin ARİÇ, who has been making music in Kurdish since the 1970s, has been a target of the terror gang in recent years due to his criticism of the PKK terror gang and its leader. The artist has been receiving intense death threats through digital networks.
Upon examination of the newly identified fake accounts of gang member Selman ASLAN, it is apparent that numerous threats against Nizamettin ARİÇ have been posted through these accounts. The threat written by the gang member through the troll account @Wa_Bori7 on 15 May 2026 reads as follows:
"We will not forget; when that day comes, the paintings you have made will become your gravestone. Do not forget — the PKK gang is also a gang of vengeance."
Upon examination of the fake account @ZDara14581, used by the terror gang member, it was found that on 09.07.2025 he threatened artist Nizamettin ARİÇ as follows:
"Nizamettin ARİÇ, I swear to God, you will be sent to hell by the hand of Ş...R...A..., do not forget."
The terror gang member made the following threat from the same account on 23.08.2025:
"Nizamettin ARİÇ, there is no escape for you. The vultures of death are on your trail!"
Threat Against Writer Murat ÜLGEN (31 May 2026)
Writer Murat ÜLGEN is among the foremost individuals targeted by the PKK terror gang for writing pieces that expose the gang's murders of Kurds. Investigations revealed that through the fake account @Wa_Bori7 used by terror gang member Selman ASLAN, writer Murat ÜLGEN was threatened on 31.05.2026 as follows:
"Ignoble agents like you will suffer the same fate as Şener for the crimes you have committed against this people. When the day comes, you too will be buried in that darkness."
Mehmet ŞENER, mentioned in the threat, was assassinated on 01.11.1991 in a joint operation carried out by the PKK terror gang in collaboration with Syrian intelligence, because he had identified and criticized the PKK terror gang's subservience to Turkish intelligence. Gang member Selman ASLAN is explicitly referencing this assassination in issuing a death threat against a Kurdish writer on PKK gang instructions.
Insults Directed at Broadcaster Kadir SATIK (17 May 2026)
Gang member Selman ASLAN, through the fake account @Wa_Bori7, insulted Kurdish broadcaster and activist Kadir SATIK, who lives in Germany, on 20.05.2026 in the following manner:
"Spokesperson of the traitors' platform, Kadir SATIK, you are a dishonorable and shameless individual. But whether near or far, you and traitors like you will burst apart before the PKK."
Smear Attacks Against Broadcaster Mehdi MUTLU (16 May 2026)
Through the fake account @Wa_Bori7, on 16.05.2026, the gang member targeted Kurdish television presenter and broadcaster Mehdi MUTLU with the following defamatory and smear content:
"Who is Mehdi MUTLU? This person is a member of PARASTIN, affiliated with the KDP, and works for Turkish intelligence. He is tasked with creating antagonism between Kurdish intellectuals, artists, and the PKK."
Smear Attacks Against Historian Bedel BOSELİ (11 May 2026)
Among those most frequently subjected to character assassination through PKK gang member Selman ASLAN's two newly identified accounts is Kurdish historian Bedel BOSELİ. The gang member has repeatedly shared the same defamatory content about historian BOSELİ through both accounts. Through the fake account @ZDara14581, the terror gang member leveled MIT (intelligence agency) slander against Bedel BOSELİ and his family on 17.11.2025, and on 22.11.2025 issued the following threat:
"Run, Bedel, run — life is short. Do not forget: everything has its price."
The gang member made the same post through the fake account @Wa_Bori7 on 11.05.2026, and from the fake account @ZDara14581 quoted that defamatory content and wrote the following:
"Bedel BOSELİ is apparently a MIT agent."
The PKK terror gang member who threatened the Kurdish historian with death — saying "life is short" and "everything has its price" — is also spreading Turkish intelligence slander about Boseli and his siblings, thereby laying the psychological groundwork for planned PKK terror organization attacks.
Threat Against Broadcaster Jindar AX (16 May 2026)
PKK operative Selman Aslan, through the fake account @Wa_Bori7, issued a death threat on 02.06.2026 against Jîndar AX, a dissident Kurd living in Sweden:
"Run, Jindar, run — life is short for you. The PKK gang is also a gang of vengeance."
Threat Against Writer Arif ZEREVAN (14 May 2026)
Kurdish writer Arif ZEREVAN, living in Sweden, was threatened on 14.05.2026 through the fake account @Wa_Bori7 used by PKK gang member Selman ASLAN, as follows:
"Run, Arif ZEREVAN, run! Life is short for you too. When that day comes, even if you crawl into your mother's am*na, there will be no escape for you."
Legal Assessment: All of Selman ASLAN's posts enumerated above constitute clear criminal offenses. Selman ASLAN uses the same threatening language across different troll accounts, acting on PKK instructions, and openly issues death threats against Kurdish writers. Due to the lack of effective monitoring and prosecution of the PKK terror gang in Europe, PKK gang members have turned Europe into a haven for criminal activity. The greatest victims of this criminal organization are Kurdish writers, intellectuals, and artists. How long these criminal activities will continue will be determined by the legal policies of European countries.
CASE 3: COORDINATED CALL FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST ARTIST MEM ARARAT
Artist Mem ARARAT became the primary target of the PKK/KCK campaign following 15 May 2026. In addition to Mahmut Atila's threats, numerous PKK/KCK-affiliated accounts joined a coordinated campaign of threats and incitement to violence against the artist.
Threats by Mazlum ZAN (19 May 2026)
A PKK terrorist organisation member identified as residing in Bielefeld, Germany, assessed to be Mazlum (İslam) ZAN and using the aliases "Werxele" and "Botan," shared a video containing insults against artist Mem ARARAT published by Ferit Ergün — registered in Nusaybin and residing in Antwerp, Belgium — and threatened the artist with the following words:
"We are waiting for Mem ARARAT's concert in Europe. Come along then, you dishonourable wretch!"
Threats from the Account @cizirabotann (22 May 2026)
"The traitor known as Mem Ararat deleted the Zana Andok track from YouTube... then turned around and committed betrayal. When he comes to Europe, the appropriate lesson will be given to him."
Targeting of the Mersin Concert (30–31 May 2026)
Kadri KARADENİZ, a PKK member residing in Switzerland, commented on the announcement of the artist's concert to be held in Mersin on 28 June, via the X platform on 30.05.2026, using the following words:
"Patriotic Kurds in Mersin, you are aware of the situation... This traitor may have a pleasant voice, but if he has no character and no honour, then his voice and his art are worth nothing."
This post was quoted on 31.05.2026 by a fake PKK account under the alias @yardakerge3csz, with the following words appended:
"After Comrade Kadri's Mersin directive, we shall see whether there is any patriot who dares to go to that concert."
According to EKRW's assessment, these posts constitute a call to violence directed from European countries. The call in question carries the character of a threat aimed at directly deterring the artist's fans and creating the ground for a possible attack.
CASE 4: DEATH THREAT AGAINST HÜSEYİN YAMAN
Hüseyin YAMAN, a dissident Kurd who openly criticises the PKK/KCK, received a grave death threat on 16.05.2026 from an account managed from Europe under the alias "Laz Kemal'in Selamı" and linked to the PKK/KCK:
"I will come to your address, you dog. We shall meet then. If I do not shove a tree up your arse and drill a hole through the back of your neck, may I be as cowardly as you."
The fact that the threat explicitly contains the intention to reach the person's physical address demonstrates that the case requires immediate security measures.
CASE 5: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ATTACKS AGAINST KURDISH HISTORIAN BEDEL BOSELİ
Death and Family Threats (19 May 2026)
Kurdish historian Bedel BOSELİ, residing in Switzerland, was confronted on 19.05.2026 via X private messages (DM), through a PKK/KCK account under the fake name "Ziyad Koçer," with death threats and threats of violence against family members:
"I will throw his (your brother Beyar's) filthy head in front of you... Not one member of your family will survive. I have also written a letter about you to the country where you reside. I will do everything to have you deported from there."
This threat encompasses multiple dimensions: causing physical harm to family members, manipulating target-country authorities to have the individual deported, and instrumentalising legal processes.
Defamation and Smear Campaign (20 May 2026)
Soner SOYER, a PKK/KCK supporter identified as residing in Berlin, shared the following defamatory statements against historian Bedel BOSELİ in a video he recorded:
"Bedel BOSELİ — statist, agent, a person of uncertain character who attacks Kurdish institutions, a contemptible individual."
Such smear campaigns should be regarded as common instruments for systematically pressuring academics and activists, rendering them ineffective in the public sphere, and deterring them from speaking out.
CASE 6: THREATS AGAINST NECAT ZANYAR, PRESIDENT OF THE LAUSANNE KURDISH INSTITUTE
Müslüm ASLAN's Threat (19 May 2026)
Writer Necat ZANYAR, President of the Kurdish Institute of Lausanne, was threatened by Müslüm ASLAN, a PKK member residing in Germany, on account of his support for Mem ARARAT:
"I hope this movement (PKK) does not let this go unpunished."
Investigations have established that Müslüm ASLAN was previously prosecuted in Turkey and served a prison sentence for offences he committed on behalf of the PKK organisation. The fact that a convicted organisation member is freely residing in Europe and continuing his threatening activities is deeply concerning with regard to the structural gaps in Europe's immigration and security policy.
Threat via X DM (20 May 2026)
Necat ZANYAR was also targeted on 20.05.2026 via X private messages from a fake PKK account under the alias @KocerZiyad, receiving messages containing threats, insults, and defamation.
CASE 7: THREATS AGAINST İBRAHİM HALİL BARAN, FOUNDER OF PAKURD
PAKURD founder İbrahim Halil BARAN was threatened on 17.05.2026 by PKK member Mahmut Atila, residing in Paris, France (see Case 1). This threat was made on account of his support for artist Mem ARARAT. The fact that the perpetrator threatened multiple individuals on the same day reveals that the PKK/KCK is conducting a coordinated pressure operation targeting specific individuals.
Mahmut Atilla also threatened İbrahim Halil BARAN with the following words:
"I will come to the Netherlands and tear your arse apart!"
CASE 8: KURDISH CONTENT CREATOR LIVING IN GERMANY THREATENED ALONG WITH HIS FAMILY
A Kurdish individual named İbrahim residing in Germany, whose identity is kept confidential for personal security reasons, was openly threatened on 20.05.2026 by PKK member Mazlum ZAN, with threats encompassing his young child and other family members. The victim filed a complaint following this threat; EKRW has been informed that an investigation has been launched by the relevant German authorities.
CASE 9: CALL FOR ASSASSINATION OF ARTIST NİZAMETTİN ARİÇ
Artist Nizamettin ARİÇ, one of the iconic figures of Kurdish music since 1976, has been subjected to systematic threats and harassment in recent years due to his paintings criticising Abdullah Öcalan and the PKK/KCK terrorist gang. One of the gravest threats within this context was conveyed on 30.05.2026 via a fake X account:
"Is there not even one person who has nothing left to lose, who can fill this man's head with bullets."
This post constitutes a clear and grave criminal offence as it amounts to a call for assassination. While X platform's suspension of the account in question is a positive step, structural security measures are needed to proactively detect and block such content before it appears on the platform.
CASE 10: CALL TO DRIVE FAMILIES INTO DRUGS AND PROSTITUTION
In an audio recording that surfaced in digital media on 31 May 2026, PKK terror gang members broadcasting on Tiktok were found to be discussing individuals who criticize the terror gang and its leader. In the recording, the person alleged to be PKK gang member Nizamettin BOZALI (who may also be the individual using the name Aziz BOZALI), believed to be living in Bremen, Germany, was found to have made the following statements:
"[Bring down the anti-PKK individuals'] sisters, bring down their mothers, bring down their daughters — drive them into drugs, drive them into prostitution."
This inhumane call demonstrates that the PKK terror gang and its members operate with complete criminal impunity in European countries.
The failure to investigate and prosecute the grave crimes committed by the PKK terror gang and its members against Kurds constitutes a serious injustice and human rights violation in Europe. PKK terror gang members exploit Europe's environment of freedom and security, turning it into an effective arena for criminal activity. Because these crimes are not predominantly committed against host societies, they are largely ignored.
CONCLUSION AND ASSESSMENT
The cases documented in this report are not isolated or reactive events. The threats and attacks in question form part of a coordinated strategy of pressure and intimidation systematically pursued by the PKK/KCK terrorist organisation across the European continent. The primary objective of this strategy is to silence dissenting voices within Kurdish communities, to create a lasting climate of fear among artists and intellectuals, and to render the terrorist organisation's leadership immune from criticism.
PKK/KCK/PYD, which has converted the geopolitical conditions created by the Syrian civil war into political and financial gain, has received organizational support from European countries and in this process has significantly strengthened its organizational infrastructure in Europe. This has opened a space for the organization to commit crimes on European soil with near-total impunity. As seen in the cases of Mahmut Atila, Selman Aslan, and Nizamettin Bozalı, acts such as serious threats, calls for rape against women, and incitement to assassination have continued to date without being subjected to any judicial proceedings.
Structural Problem: The inaction of European countries in response to these cases clearly reveals a serious legal and security gap when it comes to PKK/KCK-linked criminal activities. This gap effectively means that Kurds in Europe are left without real protection of their rights to freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and physical security.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO EUROPEAN AUTHORITIES
1. Investigation and Prosecution
Immediate investigations must be launched by the relevant national authorities against the individuals named in this report, in particular Mahmut Atila (France, Paris), Mazlum ZAN (Germany, Bielefeld), Müslüm ASLAN (Germany), Selman ASLAN (Belgium), and Nizamettin BOZALI (Germany).
2. Concert and Conference Security
A security assessment should be conducted for the concert events to be organized by artist Mem ARARAT in Europe and for conferences by Kurdish writers who are not members of the PKK terror gang; the necessary measures should be taken in a coordinated manner by the relevant national authorities.
3. Cooperation with Social Media Platforms
The competent authorities should cooperate with X and other social media platforms to ensure the identification of the real identities of persons using terror organization accounts, the prompt suspension of accounts containing threatening content, and the preservation of digital evidence in a manner admissible as legal proof.
4. Addressing the Structural Security Gap
European countries should establish effective legal mechanisms against the threatening, harassing, and violence-inciting activities of PKK/KCK-linked individuals and ostensibly legal organisations residing on their territory, and should enforce these mechanisms with a deterrent effect.