Musician Tunç Leaves Turkey: 'I Began a Hard Journey'

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Musician Ferhat Tunç has said that he "will be abroad for a while," in a statement he made about the prison sentence and investigations against him.

Tunç was detained on January 13 when he returned from Germany and was released after giving testimony.

"We can imagine together again"

Ferhat Tunç made the following statement on Twitter, with a selfie he shot in a plane:

"The 2-year prison sentence for me was not enough for them. They launched many new investigations for 'terrorist propaganda' and 'membership of a terrorist organization.'

"I have never made concessions to their oppression and lies. I have never separated my identity as an artist and my responsibility for the people. I lived with my voice but I decided the harmony of that voice by myself and I have never regretted.

"Today I began a hard journey with my identity, my personality, my voice and my fellow bağlama (a stringed instrument), leaving behind a life of struggle, and a wounded and tired country.

"I will continue to think, speak, produce abroad for a while. Without taking one step back... The mind and the conscience say today that the silence should be broken.

"We can get through these times by the efforts and the struggle of all of us and then breathe a sigh of relief. We can imagine and win together again."

What happened?

Ferhat Tunç was sentenced to 1 year, 11 months, 2 days in prison for "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" by the İstanbul 36th Heavy Penal Court over his social media posts on September 25, 2018.

The commemoration of Aziz Güler, who was killed by ISIS in Rojava, and a post by Tunç that say "The isolation must end," were included as evidence in the court's reasoned decision. "It has been understood that the defendant made requests for the head of the terrorist organization," the court said.

After this sentence, another case was filed against Tunç for "insulting the President". Büyükçekmece Public Prosecutor's Office in İstanbul launched an investigation into the ten tweets that Tunç posted in 2016. The bill of indictment it prepared was accepted by the Büyükçekmece 7th Penal Court of First Instance. The trial is continuing.

There are also two investigation files against Tunç at the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Speaking to bianet about the investigation, attorney Fatma Hopikoğlu stated that there are two separate investigations launched against the musician and added that they have not been informed about the details:

"There are two separate investigations against Tunç at Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. One of them is about his remarks during a statement for the press regarding the devastation of Sur (in Diyarbakır).

"Though the nature of this statement was about the protection of historical artifacts, an investigation was launched against him for 'propagandizing for a terrorist organization.' This investigation consists solely of this statement."

(AS/VK)