Kurdish musician Nudem Durak was arrested in 2015 in the city of Şırnak (Şirnex) and later sentenced to a total of 19 years in prison in two separate cases for performing Kurdish songs.

After her arrest, Durak was initially held in prisons in Diyarbakır (Amed) and Mardin (Mêrdîn). She was later transferred to Bayburt Type M Closed Women’s Prison, and more recently to Erzincan Prison. Her health has steadily deteriorated since. Durak has been diagnosed with Graves’ disease (toxic goiter) and osteoporosis. As her condition worsens, numerous artists from both Kurdistan and abroad have launched campaigns demanding her immediate release.

Hatice Durak, Nudem’s mother, spoke about her daughter’s health problems in prison and the hardships the family has endured. She said her daughter was imprisoned because of her voice and is now at serious risk of losing it entirely during treatment.

She is being pressured to undergo surgery

Hatice Durak shared details of Nudem’s worsening condition and explained: “When she was in Bayburt, she was taken to a hospital in Erzurum once a month. Now, we don’t even know whether she’s being taken there at all. During her last hospital visit, they insisted she undergo surgery. But if she does, her vocal cords will be damaged. When the doctor mentioned surgery, Nudem said, ‘I am in prison because of my voice. If I lose it, there will be nothing left of me.’ She is currently receiving medication instead, but it’s not proving effective.”

Nudem has lost a lot of weight

Hatice Durak stated that her daughter has faced serious neglect during her treatment. She explained that Nudem is handcuffed when taken to the hospital, which causes both physical and psychological distress.

She added, “Her condition worsens with each passing day. She has lost a significant amount of weight. She suffers from osteoporosis and is not receiving adequate nutrition. Her hair has turned completely white. What she endures in prison is already unbearable, and yet she faces additional suffering even during hospital visits.”

We suffer alongside Nudem

Hatice Durak explained that the family is also suffering due to the prison’s remote location and revealed that they were recently involved in a serious car accident while traveling for a visit.

She said, “We are suffering along with Nudem. Because the prison is so far away, it is extremely difficult for us to visit her. During our last trip, our whole family was involved in a serious traffic accident. The journey itself feels like torture. And even when we reach the prison, it is not easy to access the visitation area. They make things extremely difficult for us there, too.”

Turkish mothers must also demand peace

Hatice Durak emphasized that not only her daughter, but all ill prisoners should be released immediately. She continued her appeal with the following words: “Nudem should not be treated in prison. She needs proper medical care outside. We support the peace process and want peace, but Turkish mothers must also support it. We do not want anyone to suffer. They say, ‘We have martyrs.’ Well, so do we. They have graves. We don’t even have that. Despite all this pain, we still call for peace. But neither the state nor the public responds. War brings no victory to anyone. The only thing that can bring victory is peace. Only peace can stop this bloodshed.”

The Human Rights Association (IHD), the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), and several other rights-based organizations have also called for the immediate release of Nudem Durak. Their statements emphasize that hundreds of seriously ill prisoners in Turkish jails face similarly life-threatening conditions.

International solidarity continues

Nudem Durak’s situation is being closely followed not only in Turkey but across the world. In the past, many prominent figures, including Roger Waters, Angela Davis, and Noam Chomsky, have shared messages of solidarity with Nudem.