Rüstü DEMIRKAYA

Rüstü Demirkaya is currently a PhD Candidate in Political Sociology at the University of Geneva (UNIGE). He is multilingual, fluent in Kurdish, Turkish, French, and proficient in English, German, and Spanish.

Demirkaya began his educational journey in Turkey, and further expanded his educational pursuits in Switzerland, undertaking a Certificate from the Institute of French Language and Civilisation at the University of Neuchâtel. He went on to attain a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations with a specialisation in International Politics from the Global Studies Institute at the University of Geneva. His passion for understanding geopolitical complexities propelled him to achieve a Master’s degree in Political and Cultural Geography from the same institution.

In the field of journalism, Demirkaya has a wealth of experience. He started as a Correspondent for Dicle News Agency based in Turkey. His work primarily involved political and cultural reportage, coverage of ethnic and social conflicts, war reporting, and coverage of Kurdish movements. He also held the position of Editor-in-Chief at Özgür Gündem, where he focused on politics, human rights, and the Kurdish question. Rüstü worked as a Correspondent for Arti Gerçek, based in Germany, and later as a Television Presenter at Stêrk TV, based in Belgium. He most recently worked as a Press Correspondent for Mesopotamia News Agency, based in Turkey, where he covered UN events, political reportage, conflicts in the Middle East, the Kurdish question, and Turkish politics.

In addition to his professional pursuits, Demirkaya has been active in various associations and non-profit organisations.  He is a member of the Central Committee of the Swiss Media and Communication Union, where he focuses on migration issues. He previously served as Vice-President of Minorities and People of the World, an NGO that works to guarantee the rights of ethnic, religious, linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples worldwide. He is also a member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Demirkaya’s research interests revolve around power-space relations, colonial spaces, justice, minorities, and cultural genocide.