Görkem Sevindik, who plays the character “Kadir Baba” in the Turkish television series "Eşref Rüya," has drawn criticism in Israel for a social media post condemning a recent Israeli law that facilitates the execution of Palestinian prisoners.
Following Sevindik’s post, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly targeted the actor.
While on the series set, Sevindik said he opposed such actions on moral grounds.
“As a person with a conscience and as a father, I empathized with the suffering I saw,” Sevindik said. “While browsing social media, I came across a video showing people who had been sentenced to death being placed on a bus. I saw their last looks at their children, their final embraces. I reacted as a human being with a conscience. I opposed such cruelty.”
He emphasized that every morally conscious person should stand against war. “Our series is very popular there. I think I am a well-liked character. My conscience compelled me to speak out, which may have disappointed some fans, but it was a natural human reaction,” he said.
Sevindik reaffirmed his stance on social media: “I stand by my reaction. I oppose oppression everywhere. I believe every person with a conscience should oppose war.”
The controversy arises amid heightened regional tensions, as U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran affect Gulf countries, while Israel continues military operations in Lebanon and enforces harsh measures against Palestinians.
The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, recently approved a law that eases the imposition of the death penalty on Palestinians detained without due process. The legislation leaves thousands of prisoners in West Bank prisons facing execution without recourse to appeals or pardons.
Sevindik’s post urged the public not to remain silent. “If humanity does not rise today, when will it? If we cannot show we are human today, when will we?” he wrote. He also highlighted the scale of the crisis: “The executions of 12,000 Palestinian prisoners have been approved. Four thousand of them are children.”
In response, Ben-Gvir released a video message targeting Sevindik, stating: “Kadir in 'Eşref Rüya.' You will never be Kadir Baba. We live in Israel. You act in a Turkish series. The death penalty for terrorists is now valid.”
