Four street musicians were detained by the police in Istanbul’s famous Istiklal Avenue earlier this week after they were seen singing in Kurdish language. The men were later released but this did not stop reactions from Kurdish politicians and social media users who have launched the hashtag #kürtçemüziksusmayacak (Kurdish music will not be silent).
Meral Danis Bestas, lawmaker for the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), sang the same song in the parliament on Monday that was banned by police.
“A group was prevented from singing in Kurdish. This is the result of hostility against Kurds. You cannot ban Kurdish language, and our songs will be sung everywhere,” she said at the legislature. “Our language is our existence and future."
A group of HDP lawmakers, Kurdish activists and media outlets visited young singers in Istanbul on Tuesday, listening to their Kurdish songs as a challenge to the ban.Li her derî yê goven û stranên me bijî. Kes nikare astengî derxe.
— Ferhat Encu (@FerhatEncu) February 1, 2022
Werin govendê. Halaya gelin! #KürtçeMüzikSusmayacak pic.twitter.com/XLfZf42Qpu
Police also said that certain spots were dedicated for street music groups in the past but this is no longer the case. It denied claims that the group was prevented due to Kurdish language.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), defended the police explanation, describing it as “decent” and “credible.” However, he said that all citizens are free to sing in their language.
This incident happens as Kurds are encouraging parents in Turkey to register their children to Kurdish elective lessons.
Kurdish language has been silenced in modern Turkey since its foundation in 1923, due to the oppressive assimilation policies of successive governments and Kurdish parties.
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