Zaman daily launches news portal in Kurdish language

Zaman daily launches news portal in Kurdish language
Zaman daily launches news portal in Kurdish language


Date posted: December 8, 2015

İPEK ÜZÜM / ISTANBUL

The Zaman daily has broken new ground by launching a news portal that will present reports in the Kurdish language.

The Kurdish news portal zamankurdi.com, which is expected to contribute to peace in society, democracy and media freedom in Turkey, will start its life on Tuesday.

The Zaman daily will be the first national newspaper to have a Kurdish news portal.

Zaman’s Diyarbakır representative, Aziz İstegün, is the editor of the new publication. Speaking about the launching of the news portal, İstegün says he wants to welcome the new news portal with the Kurdish words “Tu bir xêr hati ZamanKurdi” (Welcome ZamanKurdi).

İstegün says he believes the Kurdish news portal will make a distinguished name for itself with exclusive news articles and interviews.

Describing the novel news portal as the newest member of the Zaman family, İstegün reminded that the Zaman daily is already publishing news in Turkish, English and Arabic. İstegün says zamankurdi.com will cover both domestic and international developments for its readers.

“In addition to developments in all areas, the news portal will provide the Kurdish community with special news reports, analyses, articles and commentary. The website, which will objectively present the country’s agenda to its readers, will also impartially cover developments in the Middle East, including events in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq, Syria and Iran,” İstegün said.

İstegün also stressed that the project will be a breath of fresh air to news published in Kurdish globally. Highlighting that 117 years have passed since the first Kurdish newspaper was established, in 1898 by Mikdat Midhat Bedirxan and Abdurrahman Bedirxan in Cairo, İstegün said: “Since then, many newspapers and magazines have been published [in Kurdish]. It is beyond any doubt that all of those were significant. However, the fact that the Zaman daily, with the highest circulation in Turkey, has taken such a step in terms of Kurdish language news media is much more significant.”

Saying that the Kurdish website will be beneficial in terms of peace in society and a mutual understanding between the Kurdish and Turkish communities, İstegün added that the Kurdish people, who have experienced very difficult times in the country, being able to read news in their mother tongue will be “very influential in terms of the process of democratization in Turkey.”

The Zaman Media Group also established an online newspaper in Arabic last year. Zaman Arabic was launched on July 14, 2014 in an effort to provide news about Turkey to the Arab world in its own language.

Source: Today's Zaman , December 07, 2015

Tags: | |


Related News

Turkey’s New Constitution Would End Its Democracy

In practice, a revised constitution would make it much easier for Erdogan to consolidate power entirely, taking Turkey out of the democratic column and making it into a dictatorship, pure and simple.

Gülen says he could be blamed for assassination of an MHP, CHP politician

US-based Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen said on Monday that the possible assassination of an important politician from either the Republican People’s Party (CHP) or the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in the coming days might be blamed on him by pro-government circles.

Turkey arrests Fethullah Gulen’s barber from 26 years ago

At least 16 people have been detained in the western province of Izmir, including a 50-year-old hairdresser, identified as İ.D., who used to give haircut to Fethullah Gülen during 1990s.

International panel on Virgin Mary held in Istanbul

The international panel entitled “The Virgin Mary in the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur’an” jointly organized by Journalists and Writers Foundation’s Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADIP), Roma Tevere Instituto and Izmir Intercultural Dialogue Center took place in Istanbul. In the final declaration of the panel, it was noted that the Virgin Mary who broke many discriminative taboos of her time played a significant role throughout history in placing women in the status they deserve.

Erdoğan’s scapegoats: the West and Gülen

Erdogan can even push for a ridiculous extradition application to be made to the US, and when this is refused, he will use this in his public rallies as evidence to show that the US is working with Gülen to topple his government. As I said, he is not bound by ethics and knows very well that corruption is a fact in Turkey but prefers to present himself as the victim.

Turkish PM asks citizens for help in witch-hunt against Gülen sympathizers

Describing Gülen movement people as “microbes,” the prime minister told citizens to “cleanse the microbes” from society as they serve the country and the nation no good. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had called Gülen sympathizers “viruses” long before Turkey’s massive purge accelerated in the post-July 15 era.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

How can a government allow damaging their very own successful educational system to please another country?

Fourth Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival in Los Angeles

Collective punishment [of Hizmet movement]

Filipino businessman grateful for Turkish schools

Erdoğan isolates himself in power

Ramadan Dinner At Kings Bay Y Celebrates Peace And Unity

Romanian-Turkish Schools gear up for flood survivors

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News