‘Urgent Action’ Campaign by Amnesty Calling for Release of Rapper Ezhel

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Amnesty International has launched an “urgent action” campaign for arrested rapper Ezhel.

In the campaign, the Amnesty stated that there is no material evidence to cause the arrest of Ezhel and freedom of expression was used peacefully.

Stressing that he may be sentenced to prison up to 10 years in prison and demanded that Ezhel be immediately released without any condition.

Ezhel went to the police station to depose on May 23 and he was arrested by the court on duty on charge of “promoting and facilitating drug use” and sent to Maltepe Prison.

“There is no material evidence”

Following information was included in the urgent action campaign:

“Ezhel is a prominent figure on the Turkish rap scene and is known for his dark depictions of street life in urban Turkey.

“He was questioned over two songs that refer to the use of cannabis and a now-deleted social media post displaying a photograph of the rapper holding a cannabis leaf. 

“The court decision to put Ezhel in pretrial detention contained no material evidence that he has actively promoted the use of drugs.

“Ezhel’s detention is ‘in violation of his right to freedom of expression, as protected under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to which Turkey is a state party’”, the Amnesty stated. (TP/TK)