28.01.2026 10:40
A nurse, I.A, who filmed a video of herself braiding her hair in support of the DEM Party members who started the "hair braiding" movement in response to the cutting of the hair of a woman who is a member of the YPG terrorist organization in Syria, has been suspended from her position.
İ.A., a nurse working at a public hospital in Kocaeli, shared moments of her participation in the hair braiding trend initiated by the DEM Party on her social media account while on duty, after which the Kocaeli Provincial Health Directorate launched an investigation against her. Following this post, nurse İ.A. was detained in Istanbul and released after her procedures were completed. Nurse İ.A. made a statement regarding the events, announcing that she had been suspended from her duty.
"I HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED FROM MY DUTY"
After the events, the nurse published a statement on her social media account, saying, "Recently, an investigation was opened against me due to a defamation and lynching campaign initiated just because I braided my hair through social media accounts and news channels. I was detained in the evening hours with handcuffs as part of the judicial investigation, and my home was searched afterward. During the judicial process, it was decided that I would be tried without detention with a travel ban under judicial control conditions. As part of the administrative investigation, I was suspended from my duty as of January 25, 2026." she said.
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST THE DEFAMERS
The nurse stated that she would file a criminal complaint regarding the posts made about her, saying, "During this period, I would like to announce that I will file a criminal complaint at the Public Prosecutor's Office through my brother, who is also my lawyer, against everyone who has made false publications, shared, threatened with death, insulted, and defamed me. I will also donate any material and moral compensation received from there to street animals. Now, the same spineless individuals continue to share in order to gain followers, increase views, and enhance interaction with false and unrealistic statements related to my statement." she expressed.
"I DO NOT ACCEPT THE ALLEGATIONS"
A.İ, who does not accept the allegations, stated, "I declare that I do not accept the allegations against me in my statement, that I am sensitive to women's rights and femicides, that braiding hair does not constitute a crime according to the Turkish Penal Code and Article 657 of the Civil Servants Law, that there is an attempt to create a perception against me, that I am a civil servant, from Diyarbakır, and Kurdish, that I do not speak Kurdish, that my mother tongue is Zaza, and that I have been subjected to this treatment because of that. I owe my gratitude to everyone who has been by my side without discrimination as a politician, lawyer, artist, expatriate, Kurdish, Turkish, or Alevi, and who has either called or sent messages during this period when I felt their support deeply. I embrace everyone who shares the same pain and feelings with me during this process with love." she shared.