Mehmet Emlek died last night in Wuppertal. The Kurdish activist, who was called Lêhat Botî, had been under medical treatment for three years for cancer.

The forty-year-old was father of two children and came from Cizre district of Şırnak. He worked as a cleaner and was a familiar face at the Kurdish demonstrations and other activities in Germany.

According to his family and friends, his last wish was to be buried in his birthplace. "This body will definitely go to Cizre", he said last.