Artists Slam Soylu’s Targeting Remarks: Do Your Job Instead of Picking on Artists

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Artists Nur Sürer and Lale Mansur have denounced the targeting remarks of Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu about the ones who watched the premiere of imprisoned former Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş's short story book "Devran" on the stage.

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Speaking about the play and its audience in a speech on January 12, Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu said, "You cannot clean the blood on your hands with theater plays." Addressing actor Kadir İnanır, who was among the audience of the play on January 11, he also said, "Mr. Kadir, you left it incomplete, those you went to that play, you left it incomplete."

İnanır: Let there be peace

As reported by daily Hürriyet earlier today (January 14), targeted by Minister of Interior Soylu, actor Kadir İnanır has indicated, "I don't want to talk. Our only trouble is this: Let there be peace."

Sürer: We don't accept this disrespect

Referring to the statements of Soylu as "senseless", artist Sürer has told bianet, "Years ago, when we went to him as the chair of a party, he would greet us with respect. But, now, he attacks our friends disrespectfully.

"There have been artists in this country for years. And there are these political figures. Political figures change, they come and go. But, the art and artists are permanent. Does this country have no more problems that they have started picking on artists now? I am very very sorry that especially Kadir İnanır and the ones who staged Devran were targeted.

'Who do you threaten?'

"Artists like Kadir İnanır and us are the ones who take the bull by its horns to solve the problems of this country when the time comes. Kadir İnanır was a 'wise person' back then. You were going after him in those days. You cannot treat him like that when the politics change today.

"We hold this country dear. This country has endless problems of democracy. We are struggling for that. And our art cannot be independent from it. I do not accept it in any way. I am very sorry."

Mansur: I would go again

Speaking to bianet, artist Lale Mansur has also referred to the targeting remarks of Soylu as "ridiculous". "No one takes them seriously when they attack artists like that", Mansur has told us and continued as follows:

"I was also at the play on that night. I was there to watch our artist friends. Jülide [Kural] was amazing. Everything was great. It was great that women were together, it was significant, it was a beautiful night. I was there and I would also go there again if it happened today.

"For one thing, [main opposition CHP Chair Kemal] Kılıçdaroğlu's wife Selvi Kılıçdaroğlu, [İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem] İmamoğlu's wife Dilek İmamoğlu were there. All of them were there to support [Demirtaş's wife] Başak. It had been a long time since I saw such a beautiful picture.

"Soylu, who used to mention Erdoğan's name in rage, has now become his slave. But, our understanding of art has never changed. They want that no one in this country do their job. İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor should not do his job, artists should not do their job...

'Investigate the files of torture victims'

"Instead of picking on artists, investigate the files of killed women, the files of torture victims. While there are so many problems in this country, why are you picking on artists? Amend the Penal Code so that men cannot kill women and women can be protected before coming on the verge of being killed. You, first, do your job instead of picking on us and art." (EMK/SD)