Adem Yavuz Arslan*
Modern history records not only episodes of mass violence but also the more subtle and often more enduring forms of discrimination that accompany them. During the Holocaust, systematic exclusion did not end with life; it extended into burial practices, funeral rites and collective memory. Such cases remain stark reminders of how state power, when guided by ideology, can permeate even the most basic human experiences.
Today, a similar debate is unfolding in a contemporary state: Turkey.
On April 15, 2026, a deadly school shooting at Ayser Çalık Middle School in the Onikişubat district of Kahramanmaraş province became one of the most shocking incidents of school violence in recent years. One teacher and eight students lost their lives. The attack, allegedly carried out by a 14-year-old student using firearms belonging to his father, sent shockwaves across the country.
Yet in the aftermath of the tragedy, a particular detail quickly shifted public attention: the official list of government attendance at the victims’ funerals.
According to the leaked plan, senior government officials were assigned to attend most of the funerals. Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek and other cabinet members were scheduled to represent the state at different ceremonies.
However, the funeral of 11-year-old Yusuf Tarık Gül stood out for another reason: No senior official was assigned to attend. In a setting where state presence was visible at other funerals, the absence of official representation at one child’s burial sparked widespread criticism and raised questions about “selective mourning” and possible institutional discrimination.
The background of this differential treatment has been linked by critics to Yusuf Tarık Gül’s family. His father was a police officer dismissed by decree following a failed coup in 2016, after which the Turkish government launched a widespread crackdown on non-loyalist people under the pretext of an anti-coup fight, and had previously been imprisoned on terrorism-related charges.
The July 15, 2016, coup attempt and the sweeping crackdown that followed remain the subject of debate. Some opposition figures and commentators have put forward controversial claims about the circumstances of the coup. These debates have, in turn, fueled scrutiny over the scale and character of the subsequent purge.
Under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish government launched sweeping operations against the faith-based Gülen movement, which it accuses of orchestrating the coup attempt although the movement strongly denies any involvement. Tens of thousands of people were detained, and some 130,000 civil servants were dismissed. Numerous accounts and reports suggest that this process extended beyond individuals, affecting family members and leading to forms of social stigmatization that reached into everyday life.
International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have closely monitored developments in Turkey over the past decade. Their reports have repeatedly raised concerns about mass detentions, prolonged pretrial imprisonment, due process violations and practices that resemble collective punishment.
In this context the controversy surrounding Yusuf Tarık Gül’s funeral carries symbolic weight. The absence of state representation at his burial, in contrast to the presence of top officials at other funerals, has been interpreted by critics as a breach of the principle of equal citizenship.
The case also highlights a broader contradiction in Turkey’s international positioning. As a member of NATO and a candidate for membership in the European Union, Turkey formally commits to democratic norms and the rule of law. Yet incidents like this raise persistent questions about equality, non-discrimination and institutional impartiality.
Ultimately, the Kahramanmaraş school shooting cannot be viewed solely as a matter of security failure or individual violence. The debate surrounding Yusuf Tarık Gül’s funeral reflects deeper patterns of polarization and perceived discrimination within Turkish society.
For the international community, the case raises a broader question: Can states maintain equal distance from all citizens in moments of crisis? Or do political and ideological divisions extend even into the most fundamental human experiences?
The situation in Turkey suggests that these questions are becoming increasingly urgent.
*Adem Yavuz Arslan is a journalist with over two decades of experience in political reporting, investigative journalism and international conflict coverage. His work has focused on Turkey’s political landscape, including detailed reporting on the 2016 coup attempt and its aftermath, as well as broader issues related to media freedom and human rights. He has reported from conflict zones such as Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq, and has conducted in-depth research on high-profile cases, including the assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. Arslan is the author of four books and has received journalism awards for his investigative work. Currently living in exile in Washington, D.C., he continues his journalism through digital media platforms, including his YouTube channel, Turkish Minute, TR724 and X.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Turkish Minute.