[14] In 2016, she participated in the television documentary Back to their own country with other well-known Belgian politicians and celebrities in which the group travelled with journalist Martin Heylen to conflict areas and followed the refugee route to Europe.

Following her participation, she urged Europe to persuade Syrians not to come and for tougher action against human traffickers.

What are we going to do with all those newcomers when there are already so many unemployed people who do speak Dutch?” She has argued that refugees are better supported in their own region as opposed to coming to Belgium, where she states there are limited employment and integration structures.

[5] In 2017, she was accused by the Turkish press of supporting terrorism and of being a member of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

[15][16][17] Demir has received death threats as a result of her opposition to Turkey's treatment of its Kurdish population.

[10] On 6 December 2018, the correctional court of Hasselt sentenced a man from Beringen with a fine of 400 Euros for threatening Zuhal Demir on Facebook.

[18] In May 2019, campaign posters for Demir in Maasmechelen were daubed with graffiti of swastikas and the logo of the extreme-right Turkish nationalist Grey Wolves organization.

[19] In November 2020, Demir received death and rape threats via email after she wrote a Facebook post criticising Diyanet (Directorate of Religious Affairs) funding and training of imams in mosques in Belgium.