Culture
Devran was introduced at the historical Kenter Theatre in Istanbul on 11 January. Photo: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A book by imprisoned Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas made its debut in Istanbul, the cultural capital of Turkey, on Saturday.
‘Devran’is a collection of nine stories written by Demirtas, former co-leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) while in jail. He was detained in November 2016 on terror-related charges and faces up to 142 years in jail if found guilty.
Fiction stories each with a different narrator, the collection deals with themes such as justice, crime, and Kurdish oppression- with one piece centering around a young man who lost friends in the government curfew on Cizre in 2015.
Charged for alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – an armed group struggling for the political and cultural rights of Kurds in Turkey - Demirtas has been ordered released multiple times but the orders were later rejected by higher courts.
The PKK is considered a terror group in Turkey and several other countries.
Devran was introduced at the historical Kenter Theatre in Istanbul on Saturday by two artists, Julide Kural and Omer Sahin, who read the book aloud to the audience.
"Freedom to Demirtas" was chanted by some audience members.
Basak Demirtas, wife of the jailed leader, along with the wives of opposition leaders from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) were present at the event.
“We will not abandon our hope,” said Selvi Kilicdaroglu, wife of CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
Songs and traditional music were also played at the event.
“Solidarity gives humans hope and strength in every sense, and it gives pleasure in such moments. Therefore, I am very glad to be among each other once again.” Selahattin’s wife told reporters.
Prominent Turkish actor Kadir Inanir actor was also present at the event. He said that Demirtas, as a politician “has expressed his literary skills [in the book]. It was an interesting night to watch a new art form,” he told Rudaw.
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