Radio Station Acquitted in Second Kurdish Song Case

The Adana Radio station Dünya has been acquitted for the second time, after playing a Kurdish song had landed it in court.

Erol Önderoğlu

Mehmet Arslan, broadcasting editor of the local radio station Dünya in Adana, southern Turkey, has been acquitted in a trial brought for the airing of a Kurdish song.

Following the trial and acquittal two years ago for playing a song called “Mihemendo” sung by famous Kurdish singer in exile Şivan Perwer, Arslan faced a renewed trial for the airing of the song “Keçe Kurdan” (Kurdish girl) sung by Aynur Doğan.

No evidence of incitement to hatred

At the third hearing at the Adana 2nd Criminal Court, the radio broadcaster, tried without detention, rejected the accusation of “incitement to hatred and hostility.”

He argued that the folk song did not contain any lyrics to incite the public to hatred or hostility. Furthermore, the song sung by Aynur Doğan is on one of her cassettes, publicly sold with the tax stamp of the Ministry of Culture.

His lawyer, Kenan Karavil, added expert opinions to the file, saying that some of the translations of the song into Turkish had been distorted, and that the song did not contain anything criminal.

Prosecutor Hasan Öz demanded acquittal for Arslan, saying that a consideration of the song and other songs on the singer’s cassette showed that there was no “clear and present danger” of incitement.

Head judge Recai Kaya then acquitted Arslan. The Contemporary Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD) in Adana spoke to the press in front of the court, demanding that there be an end to the repression of Kurdish.

Previous acquittal

Previously, Radio Dünya was put on trial for playing the song “Mihemendo” on 16 October 2007. The Anti-terrorism unit of the Adana police had filed a complaint, but the same criminal court had acquitted the radio station. (EÖ/AG)

Origin

Bıa news centre

Kurdish question Mehmet Arslan Radio Dünya

Erol Önderoğlu

[email protected]

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A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without...

A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), where he began as a reporter in 1996. Since 1999, he has worked at bianet, a project of the IPS Communication Foundation, as the coordinator of the Legal Support Desk, editor for freedom of expression, and editor-in-chief. He has authored more than 4,800 signed news articles and opinion pieces. He has also written for Bizim Gazete and the journal Güncel Hukuk. He currently prepares the Media Monitoring Reports at bianet.