Why was Turkey’s human rights defender Tahir Elci killed?

WASHINGTON D.C. - Last week, a prominent human rights lawyer, Tahit Elci, , was assassinated in Turkey.

Tahir was well-known as an advocate for peace, documenting oppression and abuse by the Turkish state against members of the country's 30-million Kurdish population.

What does the death of a man who dedicated his life to fighting for Kurdish rights say about the current climate in Turkey and for the government's peace process with the Kurdish rebels?

Also today, we'll look at what impact Syria's complex and bloody crisis is having on neighboring Turkey, and we will examine the ongoing tensions and accusations between Ankara and Moscow... 


Joining me in our Washington studios to discuss these issues are:

Kani Xulam, is the director at the American Kurdish information network.

Joshua Walker,  a senior Turkey expert at the German Marshall Fund in Washington DC. He has served at the State Department’s Turkey desk and also in the US Embassy in Ankara.