Grup Yorum Not Given Permission for a Concert in İstanbul, Says Governor’s Office

"Concert / 9th Independent Turkey Concert"

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Shortly after Grup Yorum music band announced that they were permitted to hold a concert in Yenikapı Meeting Site in İstanbul, the Governor's Office released a statement about the issue earlier today (June 2).

The Governor's Office of İstanbul has denied the news that the application for a concert to be held by Grup Yorum has been accepted. "The allegations shared on some social media accounts and the press that the Governor's Office has given permission for the concert to be held in Yenikapı Meeting Site on August 9 do not reflect the truth," the office has noted.

"No permission has been granted by our Governor's Office," the statement on the official website of the office has emphasized further.

Grup Yorum posted a message yesterday and announced that they would hold the 9th Independent Turkey Concert in Yenikapı on August 9. They also said that they dedicated the concert to their members İbrahim Gökçek and Helin Bölek, who lost their lives on a death fast this year.

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.

The death fasting Grup Yorum members had the following demands:

* End the police raids against İdil Cultural Center, which is constantly raided, attempted to be terrorized and where the group is conducting its activities

* Remove the Grup Yorum members from the wanted lists of the Ministry

* Remove the ban on the concerts of Grup Yorum, all concerts of which have been banned for almost three years.

* Drop the lawsuits filed against Grup Yorum members

* Release all arrested Grup Yorum members

Having turned her hunger strike into a death fast, Grup Yorum member Helin Bölek lost her life on the 288th day of her death fast on April 3, 2020.

After the band applied to the Governor's Office of İstanbul to hold a concert, İbrahim Gökçek ended his death fast on the 323rd day and was taken to a hospital in an ambulance on May 5, 2020. Gökçek lost his life at the hospital two days later on May 7.

Gökçek started his hunger strike in prison and also turned it into a death fast. He was detained in a raid against İdil Cultural Center in İstanbul 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. Gökçek was released on February 24, 2020.

(AS/SD)