The state's repressive apparatus against Kurdish culture in Turkey is still running at full speed. Musician Engin Cengiz has been taken into custody. In the meantime, musicians Helim Arslan and Azad Bedran Kızılkar have been released.
The Turkish regime's political campaign of extermination against the Kurdish population continues. Once again, a musician from the Mesopotamia Cultural Center (Navenda Çanda Mezopotamyayê, MKM) has been taken into custody under the guise of "fighting terrorism".
The MKM said that artist Engin Cengiz was taken from his apartment by the police on Thursday for questioning. The reason is an investigation conducted by the public prosecutor's office on alleged suspicion of terrorism. What exactly this is about is unclear: the file is subject to a confidentiality clause, and a 24-hour contact ban has been imposed on Cengiz. This means that he has no access to his lawyer.
The MKM protested the arrest of its members, and said that it was an "attack on Kurdish art and culture. Kurdish music and art cannot be silenced."
Musicians Helim Arslan and Azad Bedran Kızılkar released
Two other MKM musicians, Helim Arslan (Omerî) and Azad Bedran Kızılkar, were taken into custody in Amed at the beginning of the week. They were also detained on the orders of the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office for alleged "terrorist propaganda". Both artists were released on Thursday on condition of judicial control.
