Ferhat Tunç

Ferhat Tunç — Biography

Ferhat Tunç (born Ferhat Tunç Yoslun on 14 March 1964 in Ovacık, Tunceli) is a Turkish musician, songwriter and human rights advocate of Kurdish-Zaza descent. He first performed on stage at the age of twelve, later spent part of his youth in Germany with his family, and returned to Turkey in 1985, where he continued campaigning for Kurdish and Alevi rights through his music. Known for singing in Kurdish, Zazaki and Turkish, he was also active in politics in the past through the BDP party.

Tunç has consistently dedicated much of his work to social and political themes, and 2026 was no exception: he released the lament "Cigeram", referencing Dersim history and the executed Kurdish leader Seyit Rıza, dedicated the song "Dostum" to imprisoned politician Selahattin Demirtaş, and released another single, "Ah Gülistan". His outspoken political stance has at times drawn legal scrutiny, and he remains widely recognized for both his music and his activism.