Grup Yorum Music Band to Stand Trial

Click to read the article in Turkish

İbrahim Gökçek, the guitarist of Grup Yorum music band, has been on a hunger strike in prison for 238 days and musician Helin Bölek has been on a hunger strike for 236 days. They demand their right to a fair trial and an end to constant police raids against their cultural center.

Seven people, including İbrahim Gökçek, will stand trial for the first time at the İstanbul 37th Heavy Penal Court on February 14.

CLICK - Indictment Against Death Fasting Grup Yorum Member Gökçek

40-year-old guitarist İbrahim Gökçek was detained in a raid against İdil Cultural Center in İstanbul at around 2.30 a.m. on February 26, 2019. Taken into custody as part of an investigation, Gökçek was arrested by the İstanbul 1st Penal Judgeship of Peace on March 1, 2019.

What happened?

The İdil Cultural Center in Okmeydanı, İstanbul has been raided by the police for over 10 times over the last two years.

During the raids, instruments of Grup Yorum members were either broken or gone missing, their music books were also damaged.

According to the statement made by the group, a total of 30 people were arrested in these raids. Seven members of the band are still arrested. (AS/SD)