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Sirri Sureyya Onder, the vice president of the Turkish Parliament and a member of the Kurdish-oriented Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), passed away after 18 days of treatment for multi-organ failure.
His death occurred on the 18th day of his treatment at the Florence Nightingale Hospital in Istanbul.
According to a statement issued by the hospital, Onder was admitted to the facility on April 15 at 10:41 p.m. with severe health conditions, including unconsciousness and both respiratory and cardiac arrest. He was immediately transferred to surgery for a Bentall procedure (aortic valve replacement and ascending aorta replacement) and single-vessel bypass surgery following a diagnosis of aortic dissection. After the surgery, Onder’s condition required ECMO (heart-lung machine) support in the intensive care unit, and while his hemodynamic stability was initially restored, his neurological condition worsened, leading to multi-organ failure.
The hospital confirmed that Onder passed away at 4:10 p.m. (local time) due to multi-organ failure.
"Mr. Sirri Sureyya Onder passed away today at 16:10 in our intensive care unit after 18 days of treatment for multi-organ failure. Our condolences to his family and all those who loved him," the statement said.
Onder's condition had been serious, and despite ongoing efforts by medical professionals, he succumbed to his illness.
Onder was a prominent figure in Turkish politics, serving as a member of the Turkish Parliament and as the Istanbul MP for the DEM Party.
Born in 1962 in Adiyaman to one of the few socialist families in the region, Onder grew up in a predominantly Kurdish-speaking community despite his Turkmen heritage. His father, a founding member of the Workers’ Party of Türkiye’s Adiyaman branch, passed away when Onder was just 8. His uncle, meanwhile, was a follower of the influential Islamic scholar Said Nursi. These contrasting influences shaped his worldview early on.
Onder's teen and youth years
As a teenager, Onder was arrested for participating in a protest following the 1978 Maras Massacre. After completing high school, he moved to Ankara to study at the faculty of political science. His involvement in leftist politics led to his arrest following the 1980 military coup. He spent seven years in Mamak Prison, where he endured torture and political imprisonment.
After his release, Onder relocated to Istanbul and worked in various jobs, including truck driving. He maintained a long-standing passion for cinema and literature, which began during his early years as a photography apprentice. He later pursued screenwriting, attending courses and eventually co-writing the award-winning 2006 film Beynelmilel. He continued to write for cinema and contributed to several notable Turkish films, often in multiple creative roles.
Rising public profile
By 2010, Onder had become a well-known columnist, writing for the leftist platform Birgun and later Radikal. He built a reputation for bridging gaps between leftist and conservative communities, often appearing on Islamist-leaning media platforms. That same year, he was elected to Parliament as an independent under the Labour, Democracy and Freedom Bloc, later joining the BDP, the predecessor of today’s DEM Party.
Onder was also one of the first MPs to join the 2013 Gezi Park protests. He was injured during the early police crackdowns and became known for his remark, "I am also the deputy of these trees." However, tensions later arose over the perceived lack of Kurdish political participation, which Onder publicly addressed, both criticizing and defending aspects of the movement.
From 2013 to 2015, Onder played a central role in the peace talks between the Turkish government and the PKK terrorist group. He was part of the delegations that met with both Abdullah Ocalan in Imrali Prison and PKK's so-called leadership in the Qandil Mountains.
He read out PKK ringleader Ocalan’s letters during Nevruz celebrations, including the historic 2013 call for the PKK to withdraw from Türkiye. Following the collapse of the "peace process" upon PKK’s increased terror activity, Onder’s prominence declined temporarily. In December 2018, he was arrested for “terror propaganda” and later released in October 2019. Upon his release, he emphasized that his efforts for peace remained a matter of personal honor.
In May 2024, Onder was acquitted in the Kobani trial, where he and other political figures had faced charges related to the 2014 protests.
Return to Parliament and renewed dialogue
Onder was re-elected in 2023 as an Istanbul MP for the DEM Party. In October 2024, following a controversial call by National Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli for Ocalan to disband the PKK and engage through the DEM Party, Onder re-emerged as a participant in renewed dialogue efforts involving both the government and Ocalan.
Beyond politics, Onder has maintained an active presence in Turkish cultural life as a filmmaker, writer, and public intellectual. His blend of activism, artistic expression, and political negotiation introduced something new into Turkish politics, and that’s why he was loved by many.
Despite his current health condition, Sirri Sureyya Onder’s trajectory remains emblematic of the intersection between resistance, reform, and representation in Turkish political history.
Türkiye’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya expressed his condolences, stating, "I offer my heartfelt condolences for the passing of Turkish Parliament Vice President and Istanbul MP, Mr. Sirri Sureyya Onder. May Allah grant him mercy, and I wish strength and peace to his family and loved ones. May his soul rest in paradise."
In a separate tribute, Turkish Minister of Health Kemal Memisoglu added, "Turkish Parliament Vice President and Istanbul MP, Sirri Sureyya Onder, passed away despite all efforts to save his life at the hospital. My condolences to his family and loved ones."
Türkiye's ruling AK Party Spokesperson Omer Celik also said, "We lost Sirri Sureyya Onder. Our condolences go out to the Grand National Assembly and our beloved nation."
Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Numan Kurtulmus also published a condolence message for Onder.
"I learned with deep sorrow the passing of my brother, Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and DEM Party Istanbul Deputy Sirri Sureyya Onder. He was a valuable person who earned everyone's respect with his political courtesy, stance and modest personality. I wish God's mercy on him and offer my condolences to his family, relatives and loved ones," Kurtulmus said.
MHP Chairman Bahceli also offered his condolence, saying, "Unfortunately, we have lost Mr. Sirri Sureyya Onder, Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and DEM Party Istanbul MP, who united art and politics in his personality, who deserved the respect and love of the people with his simple life and common sense. I am really very sad. Even though we had different world views, we were locked in the peaceful and peaceful future of the same country.”
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