- 08 – 21 Mayıs Raporu | Türkçe
- 08 – 21 May Report | Engilish
8-21 Mayıs Türkiye’de Sanatsal İfade Özgürlüğü Raporu
Yasaklar, İptal Edilen Etkinlik ve Gösteriler
Selçuk Balcı ve Korhan Özyıldız’a Yasak!
8 Mayıs 2023
Marsis’in solisti Korhan Özyıldız, 9 Mayıs’ta Rize’de düzenlenecek, müzisyen Selçuk Balcı’nın da sahne alacağı “Gençlik Baharı Karşılıyor” temalı ücretsiz halk konserinin iptal edildiğini duyurdu.
Konserin iptal edildiğini sosyal medya hesabından duyuran Korhan Özyıldız, “Kendi memleketimiz Rize’de bir konserimize daha izin verilmedi. Peki, kabul edecek miyiz bunu? Tabii ki hayır! Baharın gelişini engelleyemeyecekler!” dedi.
Özyıldız, daha sonra yaptığı bir diğer paylaşımında, “Rize’de düzenlenecek olan gençlik konserine izin verilmemiştir. Konser, Fındıklı Belediyesi tarafından Fındıklı’da düzenlenecektir. Bahar gelecek, yasaklar bitecek!” ifadelerini kullandı.
Selçuk Balcı ve Korhan Özyıldız’a Yasak! Konser Rize Yerine Fındıklı’da Yapılacak
ODTÜ Bahar Şenliği’ne Maraş Depremi Gerekçesiyle Yasak
10 Mayıs 2023
Bu yıl 35’incisi düzenlenecek olan ODTÜ Bahar Şenlikleri üniversite yönetimi tarafından iptal edildi. Öğrenciler kararı protesto etti.
ODTÜ’nün kayyım rektörü Verşan Kök, her sene öğrenciler tarafından düzenlenen Uluslararası Bahar Şenliği’ni iptal etti. Şenliği düzenleyen ODTÜ Uluslararası Gençlik Topluluğu’nun açıklamasına göre topluluk, şenlikle ilgili hazırlık ve planlarını aktarmak için rektörlükle ve okulun Sağlık, Kültür, Spor Daire Başkanlığıyla görüşmek istedi. Üniversite yönetimi, topluluğun kendilerine ulaşması üzerine şenliğin yapılmayacağını dile getirdi. Buna gerekçe olarak da 6 Şubat’ta meydana gelen Kahramanmaraş merkezli depremler gösterildi. Ortada resmi bir karar bulunmuyor.
Topluluk, depremin yaşattığı acıların farkında olduklarını, bu nedenle deprem bölgesindeki esnafların ve bağış toplayabilecek kurumların şenlikte yer alması gibi planlarının olduğunu belirtti. Şenliğin deprem bölgesiyle dayanışma içerisinde düzenlenmesi hedefleniyor.
Öğrenciler, şenliğin iptal edilmesi nedeniyle yaklaşık 10 gündür protesto düzenliyor.
Düzenlenen protestolarda “Şenlik ODTÜ’nün, ODTÜ bizimdir”, “Verşan Kök ODTÜ’ye rektör olamaz”, “Boyun eğme, şenliğe sahip çık” ve “Verşan’ın gidişi şenlikle kutlanır” yazılı dövizler taşındı, sloganlar atıldı.
ODTÜ Bahar Şenliği, Maraş Depremi Gerekçesiyle Yasak
İzmir Atatürk Lisesi’nin Geleneksel Vals Gösterisi İptal Edildi
19 Mayıs 2023
Veli-Der İzmir Şube Başkanı Necati Kalafat, İzmir Atatürk Lisesi’nde her yıl 29 Ekim ve 19 Mayıs’ta düzenlenen vals ve modern dans gösterisinin iptal edilmesine karşı açıklama yaptı.
İzmir’in köklü okullarından olan İzmir Atatürk Lisesi’nde her yıl 29 Ekim ve 19 Mayıs’ta öğrenciler tarafından sergilenen vals gösterisi iptal edildi.
Öğrenci Veli Derneği (Veli-Der) İzmir Atatürk Lisesi idaresinin vals ve modern dans gösterisini, İzmir İl Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü’nün ve dinci kesimlerin tepki göstereceği sebebiyle son dakikada iptal ettiğini iddia etti. Dans gösterisinin okul yönetiminin kararıyla tören ve kutlama programından çıkarıldığı belirtildi.
Konu hakkında açıklama yapan Öğrenci Veli Derneği (Veli-Der) İzmir Şube Başkanı Necati Kalafat, “Biz İzmir Veli-Der olarak soruyoruz: Dinci kesimlerin tepkisi olarak tanımlanan olgu nedir? Gençlerimizin dans etmesinden rahatsız olunacak ne vardır? Karanlık zihniyetlerinizi çocuklarınız yaşındaki gençlerin kıyafetleri ile uğraşarak bize dayatamazsınız. Onlarca yıldır cumhuriyetin ve aydınlığın kalesi olan İzmir Atatürk Lisesi’nde İzmir’in en başarılı öğrencilerinin bu dayatmanıza verecek bir cevabı vardır. Bizler bu çocukların velileri olarak onlarla beraber kızlı erkekli dans etmeye ve bilim üretmeye devam edeceğiz. İzmir İl Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü’nün bu sürece dair derhal gerekli işlemleri yapması ve sorumluları cezalandırmasını, aksi durumda bu karanlık zihniyetin ortağı olarak görüleceğini kamuoyuna duyururuz” dedi.
İzmir Atatürk Lisesi’nin Geleneksel Vals Gösterisi İptal Edildi
Telif Hakkı İhlalleri
Ahmet Aslan: Muharrem İnce Eserimi İzinsiz Kullandı
13 Mayıs 2023
Müzisyen Ahmet Aslan, Muharrem İnce’nin Cumhurbaşkanlığı seçim çalışmaları sırasında eserini rızasını almadan kullandığını açıkladı.
Müzisyen Ahmet Aslan, seslendirdiği “Minnet Eylemem” adlı türkünün Muharrem İnce tarafından izin almaksızın kullanıldığını duyurdu. Muharrem İnce 2023 seçimlerinde dört cumhurbaşkanı adayından biriydi ancak 11 Mayıs 2023 günü seçimden çekilme kararı aldı.
Aslan mesajında Türkiye Musiki Eseri Sahipleri Meslek Birliği (MESAM), Kalan Müzik ve Muharrem İnce’nin sosyal medya hesaplarını etiketledi.
Ahmet Aslan: Muharrem İnce Eserimi İzinsiz Kullandı
Sibel Can, 12 Eseri Dijital Mecrada İzinsiz Kullanıldığı Gerekçesiyle Dava Açtı
18 Mayıs 2023
Sibel Can, 12 eserinin izinsiz ve hukuka aykırı şekilde dijital mecralarda kullandığı iddiasıyla Raks Müzik Şirketi’ne dava açtı.
Şarkıcı Sibel Can, “Türk Sanat Müziği” isimli albümünde yer alan 12 eseri izinsiz ve hukuka aykırı şekilde dijital mecralarda kullandığı iddiasıyla Raks Müzik Şirketi’ne dava açtı. Maddi ve manevi zarara uğradığını öne süren ünlü sanatçı, izinsiz kullanımın durdurulmasını ve haksız tecavüzün önlenmesini istedi.
Sibel Can Dijital Mecralarda İzinsiz Kullanılan 12 Eseri İçin Dava Açtı
Burhan Şeşen: Konaklama Tesisleri, Kullandığı Müzik İçin Telif Ödeyecek
18 Mayıs 2023
MÜYORBİR başkanı Burhan Şeşen, 2023 yılı sonuna kadar 20 bin turizm tesisinin lisanslanacağını duyurdu.
Müzik Yorumcuları Meslek Birliği (MÜYORBİR) konaklama tesislerinde çalınan müziklerden sanatçıların telif alamaması sorununun çözüldüğünü duyurdu.
MÜYORBİR’den yapılan yazılı açıklamada “Yıllardır konuşulan kaynağından lisanslamayı konaklama tesisleri için çözmüş bulunmaktayız” denildi.
Açıklamada Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı’nın 15 Mayıs 2023 tarihinde konuyla ilgili bir genelge yayınladığı ve müzik kullanan konaklama tesislerine 5846 sayılı Fikir ve Sanat Eserleri Kanunu kapsamında müzik ibrazının zorunlu kılındığı belirtildi.
SÖZ Platformu’na açıklama yapan Burhan Şeşen “Oteller, moteller, pansiyonlar gibi turizm konaklama tesisleri artık müzik lisansı almak zorunda. Nasıl tesisinde havuzu varsa ve havuz için bir uygunluk belgesi alıyorsa, kamuya açık yaptığı müzik yayını için de lisans alacak ve kullandığı müzik için telif ödeyecek” dedi.
Yeni genelgeyle birlikte geçerli bir müzik lisansı olmaksızın faaliyet gösterdiği tespit edilen konaklama tesisleri hakkında 2634 sayılı Turizm Teşvik Kanunu gereğince işlem yürütülecek. Ayrıca genelgeye uyulmaması halinde maddi cezadan tesisin kapanmasına kadar bir dizi ağır yaptırımlar uygulanacak.
Burhan Şeşen hedeflerinin 2023 yılı sonuna kadar 20 bin turizm tesisinin lisanslanması olduğunu da sözlerine ekledi.
Burhan Şeşen: Konaklama Tesisleri Kullandıkları Müziğin Telifini Ödeyecek
Seçimin İkinci Turu: Meslek Birliklerinden Açıklamalar
PEN: “Seçim devam ediyor: Ya aydınlık ya karanlık!”
18 Mayıs 2023
PEN Yazarlar Derneği, 14 Mayıs’taki cumhurbaşkanlığı seçimlerinin ikinci tura kalması üzerine yazılı bir açıklamada bulundu. Seçmenleri sandığa çağıran açıklamada “Cumhurbaşkanlığı Seçimi 2. Turunda 28 Mayıs’ta hem oylarımızı hem sandıklarımızı korumalıyız! Ya karanlık ya aydınlık, ya geri ya ileri, ya sultanlık ya çağdaşlık, ya geçmiş ya gelecek!” ifadeleri kullanıldı.
Açıklamanın tamamı için:
PEN: Seçim Devam Ediyor! Ya Aydınlık Ya Karanlık!
Türkiye Yazarlar Sendikası: Hak ve Adalet Düzeni İçin Sandığa Gitmek Zorundayız
19 Mayıs 2023
Türkiye Yazarlar Sendikası’nın 28 Mayıs Seçimi için yaptığı çağrıda “Cumhuriyetimizin 100. yılında 19 Mayıs Anadolu Direnişi ruhuyla, güzel günlere olan inanç ve umudumuzla geleceğimize sahip çıkalım” denildi.
Türkiye Yazarlar Sendikası (TYS) 2023 Cumhurbaşkanlığı Seçimi’nin ikinci turu için bir açıklama yayınladı.
Aziz Nesin’in girişimleriyle 1974 yılında kurulan TYS, seçmenleri özgür demokratik bir düzeni egemen kılmak için sandığa davet etti.
Açıklamada özetle şöyle dendi:
“Düşünce ve ifade özgürlüğünün olmadığı yerde insan hak ve özgürlüklerinin de olmadığı, olmayacağı bir gerçektir. İnsan haklarına dayalı demokratik, laik, sosyal hukuk devletinin hayat bulduğu bir düzen, söz söyleme ve yazı özgürlüğünün güçlendiği bir ülke hepimizin özlemidir. Hayatı üreten ve yaratan emekçi halkın temel taleplerinin karşılandığı, adaletsizliklerin son bulduğu, yaratılan değerlerden herkesin eşit düzeyde yararlandığı bir ülke için mücadeleyi destekliyoruz.
“28 Mayıs’ta Cumhurbaşkanlığı Seçimi ikinci turunda da baskıya, yoksulluğa, ayrımcılığa karşı çıkarak geniş bir özgürlük ve demokrasi düzeninin egemen olacağı hak ve adalet düzenine evet demek üzere sandığa gitmek zorundayız. Cumhuriyetimizin 100. Yılında 19 Mayıs Anadolu Direnişi ruhuyla, güzel günlere olan inanç ve umudumuzla geleceğimize sahip çıkalım.”
Hak ve Adalet Düzeni İçin Sandığa Gitmek Zorundayız
Kadın Sanatçılardan Çağrı: “Buradayız, bu karanlığa teslim olmayacağız!”
SPOT: Sol Feminist Hareket tarafından hazırlanan seçim çağrısı pek çok kadın aydın, akademisyen, müzisyen, oyuncu, hukukçu ve sanatçıları tarafından imzalandı. Kadınlar, “Ya aydınlığa kavuşacağız ya nefessiz kalacağız” dedi.
Aralarında pek çok sanatçının yer aldığı yüzlerce kadın, Sol Feminist Hareket tarafından hazırlanan bildiriyle oy vermeye çağırırken bu seçimin önemini vurguladı, “Ya nefessiz kalacağız, ya koyu karanlığı birlikte yırtacak ve şafağın aydınlığına kavuşacağız” dedi.
“Buradayız, bu karanlığa teslim olmayacağız” başlıklı bildiride kadınlar, “Korkusuzca yaşadığımız, eşit, özgür ve laik bir ülke bizim hakkımız ve bu ülkeyi hep birlikte kuralım. Haydi! Tüm kadınları gerici tek adam rejimine son vermek için oy vermeye ve oylarımıza sahip çıkmaya çağırıyoruz” dedi.
Kadın Sanatçılar: Buradayız! Karanlığa Teslim Olmayacağız!
Davalar, Gözaltılar
Tecavüz Faili Musa Orhan, Farah Zeynep Abdullah’a Bir Kez Daha Dava Açtı
20 Mayıs 2023
Ezgi Mola, Hazal Kaya, Melek Mosso ve Farah Zeynep Abdullah’a dava açıp para talep eden cinsel saldırı faili Musa Orhan, Farah Zeynep Abdullah’a ikinci kez hakaret davası açtı.
Batman’da intihar eden İpek Er’in bıraktığı mektupla kendisine cinsel saldırıda bulunduğunu yazdığı Musa Orhan, Farah Zeynep Abdullah’a bir kez daha hakaret davası açtı.
Musa Orhan’ın daha önce açtığı hakaret davasında Farah Zeynep Abdullah adli para cezasına çarptırılmıştı.
Sosyal medya hesabından yaptığı paylaşımla Musa Orhan’ın kendisine bir dava daha açtığını söyleyen oyuncu Farah Zeynep Abdullah, “Şerefsiz ve göründüğü kadarıyla bir geçim yöntemi olarak adalet sistemini kullanan, daha doğrusu buna izin verilen Musa Orhan şimdi de bana tazminat davası açmış. Aç köpek” ifadelerini kullandı.
Tecavüz Faili Musa Orhan, Farah Zeynep Abdullah’a Bir Kez Daha Dava Açtı
Sergiledikleri Fotoğrafla Cumhurbaşkanına Hakaret Ettiği İddia Edilen Boğaziçililer Serbest
19 Mayıs günü gözaltına alınan üç Boğaziçi Üniversitesi öğrencisi 20 Mayıs günü akşam saatlerinde serbest bırakıldı. Boğaziçi Direnişi, gözaltı sürecinde arkadaşlarına kötü muamele ve işkence uygulandığını açıkladı.
Cumhurbaşkanı ve Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi Genel Başkanı Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’ın fotoğrafıyla hazırladıkları görsel malzemeleri sergileyen üç Boğaziçi Öğrencisi 19 Mayıs 2023 günü gözaltına alınmıştı. Öğrenciler 20 Mayıs günü akşam saatlerinde serbest bırakıldı. Öğrenciler için yurtdışı yasağı ve adli kontrol şartı istenmedi.
Öğrenciler, sergiledikleri çalışmalarda 5 Şubat Kahramanmaraş depremi sonrası iktidarın yetersiz kalmasını ve Boğaziçi Üniversitesi’ne kayyum rektör atanmasını eleştiriyorlardı.
Üç öğrenci, görsel çalışmalarından birinde cumhurbaşkanına hakaret olduğu iddiasıyla gözaltına alınmıştı.
Boğaziçili Öğrenciler Serbest Bırakıldı
Report on Freedom of Artistic Expression in Turkey / June 6-12
Bans and Restrictions
Manga translation team Jiangzaitoon receives access ban
The website of Jiangzaitoon, a manga and webtoon translation team that produces content on manga culture and publishes comics in Turkish, was blocked.
According to Free Web Turkey, http://jiangzaitoon.io, the website of manga and webtoon translation team Jiangzaitoon, was blocked by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) on May 29. Jiangzaitoon’s previous domain name http://jiangzaitoon.biz was also blocked by BTK on May 17, leading to the opening of the alternative domain http://jiangzaitoon.io.
It is believed that the site was blocked because it mostly publishes manga translations featuring LGBTI+ content. The team shared the following statement on their social media accounts:
“Dear readers,
We would like to inform you about what happened to our website. We are currently in the process of migrating our site and we expect it to take approximately 3 more days, which turn out to be slightly shorter or longer. During this process, there will be no VPN or VPN-free access to our website jiangzaitoon.io. We thank you for your understanding and apologize for the inconvenience. We would also appreciate it if you share this announcement with your contacts.”
Another manga website producing Turkish content, #MangaGo, was also blocked by BTK on December 13, 2022.
Manga Çeviri Ekibi Jiangzaitoon’a Erişim Engeli
Şişli District Governorate bans screening of #DirenAyol documentary
Şişli District Governorate banned the documentary #DirenAyol on the grounds that it would “provoke social outrage and disturb national conscience and public values.”
The screening of the documentary film “#DirenAyol” by the University Students’ Feminist Collective at a café in Osmanbey, Istanbul on June 6, 2023 at 18.00 was banned by the Şişli District Governorate. The screening was organized on the occasion of Pride Month.
University Students’ Feminist Collective had announced the screening on June 4, 2023.
The documentary film “#DirenAyol” directed by RüzgarBuşki looks at the Gezi resistance from the LGBT perspective. The film was first screened as part of the Rainbow category of the 15th !f Istanbul Independent Film Festival in 2016.
The District Governorate’s statement explained the reason behind the ban as follows:
“…in the event that the said event is carried out, it may arouse social outrage, threaten public peace by disturbing the national conscience and human values. Also, considering that there may be verbal and physical acts of provocation between the concerned group/persons and our citizens, it is considered that the maintenance of public order, the prevention of crime and the protection of the rights and freedoms of others may be endangered.”
The film screening was banned based on Article 17 of the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations, which authorizes governors and district governors to ban demonstrations.
https://www.reportare.com/soz/sisli-kaymakamligi-direnayol-belgeselinin-gosterimini-yasakladi/
“Pride” screening banned, audience and BEKSAV members detained
Kadıköy District Governorate issued a ban on the screening of the film “Pride.” BEKSAV members and viewers who wanted the film to be shown were detained.
Science, Aesthetics, Culture and Arts Research Foundation (BEKSAV) Cinema Collective was to screen “Pride” at Bahar Bahça in Kadıköy, Istanbul today at 20.45 as part of Pride Month events. The movie screening was banned by the Kadıköy District Governorate.
BEKSAV Cinema Collective announced that they do not recognize the ban decision:
“Pride month is here and bans are knocking on our colorful doors! Kadıköy District Governorate has decided to ban the screening of the movie ‘Pride,’ which was announced to be held in the garden of BEKSAV this evening. Our attitude towards this will be nothing other than screening the movie. Because, what the hell is a ban?! Can a movie be banned?”
After this statement, the audience and BEKSAV members were detained by the police.
About the film
Directed by Matthew Warchus, “Pride” tells the story of the struggle fought together by two opposing social strata after gay activists decided to support the strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in 1984 in Britain under the rule of conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
Targetings
Melek Mosso targeted after dedicating award to femicide victims
Social media accounts of pro-government media outlets targeted Melek Mosso and pressured the AKP-affiliated Süleymanpaşa Municipality to cancel her concert.
Singer Melek Mosso received the “Most Powerful Cover Song Award” for her track “Yıllar Affetmez” at the PowerTürk Music Awards Ceremony held at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) on June 5, 2023.
Mosso stated that she dedicated her award to the souls of all the murdered women and received a long applause from the hall.
Melek Mosso spoke as follows:
“I am receiving this award as a tribute to the souls of all the women who have been marginalized in this society and in the world alike for centuries, who have been judged, bullied and murdered for their clothes and laughter, for everything that being a woman entails.
“We will never be silenced. I am a woman who has always been proud of female singers being the women they are in this society. I will always stand behind them, no one can silence me. I will keep speaking, producing and singing.”
Mosso shared on her Instagram account after the ceremony, “I thank everyone who supported me. Even though I am too excited to express myself properly, people will know what I mean. I am receiving this award for all my murdered sisters, especially Bergen. May we all have a future where murderers do not get reduced sentences for good behavior, where no woman lives in fear of death and no woman is marginalized.”
The singer’s speech became a hot topic on social media. In addition to those in support, there were also those who targeted her using threatening remarks.
Sabah newspaper makes reference to Merve Dizdar
Sabah newspaper, one of the pro-government media outlets, published an article titled “Singer Melek Mosso’s preposterous slander against Turkish society! What a hypocrite!”
The news article claimed that Melek Mosso “could not swallow the defeat in the elections” and reminded of Merve Dizdar, who was targeted because of her speech in Cannes:
“Yesterday, Melek Mosso joined the manipulation efforts led by Merve Dizdar, who publicly complained at the Cannes award ceremony about Turkey to the Western society, claiming that she lives in a society where women are despised.”
TRHaber.com implies crime
TRHaber.com shared the speech with the comment “Melek Mosso attacks Turkish society again.” With this statement, the implication was made that Mosso committed the “Crime of Denigrating the Turkish Nation, the State of the Republic of Turkey, the Institutions and Organs of the State” regulated by Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).
Aldığı Ödülü Katledilen Kadınlara Adayan Melek Mosso Hedef Gösterildi
Targeted Melek Mosso cancels concert
Melek Mosso stated that she did not target anyone in her speech at the PowerTürk Music Awards Ceremony. She apologized for the post she shared during the election period and canceled her concert in order not to escalate the tension.
Melek Mosso made a statement on her social media accounts and announced that she canceled her concert at the 57th Cherry Festival.
In her statement, Melek Mosso first apologized for her post:
“I am very sorry. It is heartbreaking to see the people of this compassionate society confronting each other because of a joke I made by saying ‘election outfit’ that went beyond its purpose. Everyone who knows me knows that I don’t mean to upset anyone or to trigger discrimination; and for those who don’t know me, let me put it frankly: I am not like that and I am sorry for what happened, because I only want to sing, without thinking about what political view is holding the event or what the political opinion of the audience is. And I want to keep going like that.”
“Did not hold any person, institution or administration responsible”
In her statement, Mosso stated that she did not target anyone in her speech at the PowerTürk Music Awards Ceremony:
“Let’s talk about my acceptance speech at the award ceremony. That was one of the most sincere speeches I have ever made in my career… Those were the words of a girl whose cousin was stabbed 32 times and murdered by her husband, a girl who witnessed all that and went through that pain to the bone. My aim was not to hold any person, institution or administration responsible, but to wish that such pain would never happen again. This kind of pain is above politics. As someone who has experienced it, I would never want my speech to be politicized.”
Mosso finished her words by saying, “I hereby apologize to everyone whom I might have hurt.”
https://www.reportare.com/soz/hedef-gosterilen-melek-mosso-konserini-iptal-etti/
Melek Mosso apologizes: “I want to make amends”
Singer Melek Mosso, who was targeted due to a speech she made and her post on social media, apologized during her concert and said, “I want to make amends.”
Singer Melek Mosso, who dedicated her award to “all the women who have been judged, bullied and murdered” in her acceptance speech, apologized on stage yesterday. Mosso, who took the stage at the 57th International Tekirdağ Cherry Festival organized by Süleymanpaşa Municipality, made a short speech after singing her first song and said the following: “I would like to touch upon one issue real quick and make amends with you. I am very aware that I have been unduly occupying the nation’s agenda for the last week and I am very, very sorry for this. First of all, I would like you to know that no matter what anyone says, we are not a nation whose members hate each other or enemies with each other. No matter what anyone does, we will never be such a nation. We will continue to love each other greatly. I wanted to say something as a girl who lost her cousin to a murder of a woman. I wanted to raise my voice against femicides and harassment of women. I understand that it was misinterpreted, but I would like to point out that I also believe that this kind of pain is way above politics.”
“I believe President Erdoğan will implement the harshest regulations”
“I truly believe, as a woman, that our President, Mr. Erdoğan, will implement the harshest regulations regarding this from now on. I would like to thank Mr. President for bringing us together in such an inclusive and unifying festival at such a time without causing any unrest, and for sincerely accepting my apology without reflecting it on us, even if he was in pain.”
“If there is even a single person here who was hurt, upset or heartbroken because of my joke that went beyond its intended purpose, I apologize to them. We will not be divided or confronted with such things. As the Turkish nation, we will continue to be a perfect nation that loves each other, trusts each other’s good intentions, and lives in harmony and peace. That is why I love you all very much and thank you for being here. I would also like to thank our president for maintaining this beautiful festival in a magnificent way, never overshadowed by anything.”
https://www.reportare.com/soz/melek-mossodan-ozur-helallesmek-istiyorum/
Follow-up on lawsuits
Sibel Tekin’s ban on leaving country lifted in lawsuit filed for showing police vehicle
Documentary director Sibel Tekin was charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” after a police vehicle entered her frame while she was shooting a documentary. The ban on her leaving the country has been lifted.
The second hearing of the lawsuit filed against documentary director Sibel Tekin due to “membership in a terrorist organization” because a police vehicle entered the frame while she was filming people going to work in the morning for her documentary “Karanlıkta Başlayan Hayat” (Life That Starts in Darkness) was held at Ankara 26th High Criminal Court. Tekin’s hearing was followed by rights defender organizations such as IHD Ankara Branch, MLSA, October 10 Peace Association and journalists.
During the hearing, Tekin demanded her acquittal and the lifting of the judicial control and the ban on leaving the country, because she was offered a jury membership at the 3rd Rhodope Film Festival in Bulgaria.
The judge shared the expert report with the court. Tekin’s lawyer Mehtap Sakinci shared the contents of the expert report completed yesterday and said that there were no criminal elements against her client.
Sakinci emphasized that the process should not be prolonged because Tekin was suspended from her job as an academic. The judge requested a document showing Tekin’s participation as a jury member in a film festival in Bulgaria. Presenting the document to the court, lawyer Sakinci said, “Perhaps for the first time in her career, my client has had such an opportunity,” and reiterated that Tekin’s ban on leaving the country should be lifted and that a verdict of acquittal should be issued.
The judge decided to lift the judicial control and the travel ban and to resolve the missing elements, and adjourned the next hearing until October 3, 2023 at 10.45 am.
Reaction to bans
Sabahat Akkiraz thanks Leman Magazine
On its cover, Leman magazine featured Volkan Konak and Onur Akın’s failure to obtain visas from Germany and the concert bans imposed by local authorities.
Folk music singer Sabahat Akkiraz thanked the comic magazine LeMan, which featured on its cover the problem of musicians not being able to perform their concerts abroad because they cannot get visas, and at home due to bans.
Akkiraz made the following statement on her social media account:
“Certain people are waiting for musicians to keep silent and die away. You cannot silence musicians and artists with bans, restrictions on the pretext of the pandemic, oppression, censorship, or exile. You may starve them, but you cannot silence them. I have been living what is on the cover of @lemandergisi for years. Long live Leman.”
The cover of the Leman magazine published on June 7, 2023 featured the headline “Turkey’s Century of Culture…” The cartoon on the cover is created by Sefer&ÇağÇağ.
Artists not being able to obtain visas became an issue after the 2023 elections. Most recently, Volkan Konak announced on May 28 that he had received two visa rejections from Germany and therefore had to cancel his May concert in Germany.
Then on May 30, Onur Akın announced that the German consulate had rejected his visa request and that he had been denied a visa for the first time in his 35 years as an artist.
Report on Freedom of Artistic Expression in Turkey / May 30 – June 5
Human Rights Association: “We stand together with Merve Dizdar”
Human Rights Association (IHD) criticized the insulting posts against Merve Dizdar, who won the Best Actress award in Cannes.
Merve Dizdar received the Best Actress award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival for her performance in Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s film “Kuru Otlar Üstüne.” Because of her acceptance speech, Merve Dizdar was subjected to insults by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its supporters.
Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch made a written press statement in support of Merve Dizdar.
The statement reads as follows:
“We condemn the persecution campaign against actress Merve Dizdar for her short speech after she received the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival, in which she addressed the problems faced by women in Turkey in relation to the subject of the film, and we publicly declare that we stand by Merve Dizdar and all women who are subjected to violence and gender discrimination.”
İHD: Merve Dizdar Yalnız Değildir!
After Volkan Konak, Onur Akın receives visa rejection
Artist Onur Akın stated that he could not get a visa for the first time in his 35 years of working as an artist and said, “I am saddened and ashamed on behalf of my country!”
Recently, the number of visa refusals, especially for Schengen visas, for Turkish citizens have been on the rise.
Artist Onur Akın stated that the German consulate rejected his visa request despite the fact that he had previously received a long-term visa, saying, “I’d never think we’d be faced with this! During my 35 years of career as an artist, I’ve performed many times in numerous countries around the world, received long-term visas, especially from Schengen countries, and never had any problems, but this time, I received a ‘rejection’ from the German consulate for the first time… As we enter the second century of our Republic, I cannot wrap my head around the fact that the artists of this country are treated as asylum seekers or refugees at the gates of Europe. I am saddened and ashamed of this on behalf of my country!”
#Almanya #Deutschland #vize #ret #sanatçı #konser pic.twitter.com/Bzqkv1jGPb
— Onur Akın (@onurakinresmi) May 30, 2023
Recently, Volkan Konak canceled his concert in Germany, announcing that he had been denied a visa twice. (https://www.reportare.com/soz/almanya-vize-vermeyince-volkan-konak-konserini-iptal-etti/)
Volkan Konak’tan Sonra Onur Akın da Almanya’dan Vize Alamadı
Upon release, Asya Alizade speaks about her time in detention: “They took me to Silivri”
Asya Alizade addressed the journalists who were preoccupied with the lyrics of her song and said that they should actually be reporting on the poor conditions in the deportation center.
Azeri singer Asya Alizade, who was detained for using the phrase “like cannabis” in a music video and sent to a deportation center, has been released.
In a statement on her Instagram account, Alizade said that she was taken to the deportation center in Silivri despite the prosecutor’s decision that there was no criminal element in her song. The famous rapper made the following remarks:
“The police took me into custody at my home. Investigation procedures were initiated. I made a statement at the prosecutor’s office and the prosecutor realized that I was innocent and released me. Then I spent two days at the police station and they took me to Silivri. They kept me there for three days without any charges. Man, women are kept there with their children (ranging from 1 month to 16 years of age) under appalling conditions and no one knows anything about them.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs1YkWorVnb/
Alizade addressed the journalists who were preoccupied with the lyrics of her songs, saying that what they should really be reporting on were the conditions in the deportation center. She added that she loves Turkey and will not go anywhere.
Asya Alizade: Gözaltındayken Beni Silivri’ye Götürdüler
Gülşen sentenced to pay TL 50K to each three imam hatip graduate
The Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey (TİHEK) ruled to impose an administrative fine of 150 thousand Turkish Liras on singer Gülşen Çolakoğlu on the grounds that her statements against imam hatip high school graduates qualified as “discrimination.”
According to AA news, three graduates of imam hatip high schools applied to TİHEK on the grounds that singer Gülşen “violated the prohibition on discrimination” based on her statements against imam hatip high school graduates.
Asked for his opinion on the applications, Çolakoğlu’s lawyer stated that his client did not intend to make hurtful remarks towards any segment of the public, that her comments were misunderstood and that she has already apologized for them.
It was stated that Gülşen Çolakoğlu asked her bandmates to carry her on their shoulders among the audience at the concert, and when one of her bandmates replied “Imam should carry you,” referring to a band member whose nickname was “imam,” Gülşen Çolakoğlu used the remarks in question in the context of “joking” as a momentary response.
The statement argued that the applicants were not the addressees of this joke and requested the rejection of the applications.
After examining the application, TİHEK ruled that “the prohibition on discrimination was violated” and ordered Çolakoğlu to pay an administrative fine of 50 thousand liras each to each applicant.
Gülşen Üç İHL Mezununa 50’şer Bin Lira Ödeyecek
Prosecutor demands life for two of Onur Şener’s murder suspects
The lawsuit filed on the murder of musician Onur Şener due to an argument in an entertainment venue in Çankaya district of Ankara was held at Ankara 31st Assize Court. Arrested defendants İlker Karakaş, Ali Gündüz and Semih Soyalp, unarrested defendants Gözde Gündüz, Jale Erberk and the lawyers of the parties attended the hearing.
After the witness statements, the public prosecutor announced his opinion on the accusations. The prosecutor stated that the defendants went to the entertainment venue in Çayyolu Mutlukent Neighborhood on October 2, 2022. After Şener’s performance, they came back to the stage and sang karaoke and that was when an argument broke out.
The prosecutor stated that the defendants went outside and Karataş and Gündüz attacked Şener in the neck with broken glass and he died on the spot.
The prosecutor demanded life imprisonment for Karataş and Gündüz on the charge of “intentional murder” and the acquittal of the arrested defendant Soyalp and the unarrested defendants Gözde Gündüz and Jale Erberk.
The court ruled for the continuation of the detention for detained defendants and giving them time to prepare their defenses on the accusations and adjourned the trial until July 5.
The indictment demands aggravated life imprisonment for the defendants, who are stated to have acted together and committed the act with a broken glass without feeling pity, on the charge of “intentional murder with malice aforethought.”
Savcı, Onur Şener’in Katil Zanlıları İçin Müebbet Talep Etti
Ataol Behramoğlu targeted and his talk canceled
Poet Ataol Behramoğlu announced on his social media account that his talks at the book fair organized by Bitlis Education and Promotion Association (BETAV) were canceled. Behramoğlu tagged Kırmızı Bülten Editor-in-Chief Mustafa Yüzer, who had targeted the event, and wrote, “You won, Mr. Mustafa. We got banned. Congratulations.”
Behramoğlu used the following remarks in his post:
“You won, Mr. Mustafa. We got banned. Congratulations. At least one of your grandchildren will read one of my poems to their lover, but if they are asked if they know the name of their grandfather’s grandfather, their answer will be ‘Are you kidding me?'”
Report on Freedom of Artistic Expression in Turkey / May 22-31
Detentions and Lawsuits
MA Music coordinator Aslan Aydoğan detained
24 May 2023
As reported by Artı Gerçek online newspaper, 191 people were detained in house raids in 21 cities as part of the investigation launched by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on April 25 and more than 50 people, including journalists and lawyers, were arrested.
As part of the same investigation, MA Music Coordinator Aslan Aydoğan (Şêrko Kanîwar) was also detained at Diyarbakır Airport while returning from Germany. Detained on May 23, Aydoğan was released the following day.
MA Music Koordinatörü Serbest
Rapper Asya Alizade detained and deported
27 May 2023
An investigation was launched by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against Azeri singer Asya Alizade, who makes rap music in Turkey, for allegedly encouraging drug use in her music videos. Within the scope of the investigation, the teams of Istanbul Security Directorate of Narcotic Crimes examined Asya Alizade’s clips.
During the investigation, it was determined that Alizade used the phrase “like cannabis” in English in one of her videos. Following the investigation, the police, who had a warrant for her arrest, detained Alizade at her residence in Ataşehir. Alizade was referred to the courthouse after her procedures were completed at the police station, and she was released after her statement was taken.
Alizade was handed over to the repatriation center to be sent back to her country on the grounds that she was a foreigner who got involved in crime.
Rapçi Asya Alizade’ye Gözaltı ve Sınır Dışı
Artists Demand Democracy
Free Arts Council: “We demand unconditional democracy”
24 May 2023
The Free Arts Council, which was formed after a meeting of more than 500 artists in Kadıköy on April 17th, has spoken for the first time. Stating that the upcoming elections are very critical in terms of artistic freedom, the statement said, “We demand a democracy without conditions or ‘but’s.”
“We came together in the Free Arts Council setting out from the fact that the relations between politics and art, politicians and artists, and power and art have evolved to the detriment of art and artists. The Free Arts Council articulates the demands of artists with different political identities for the right to art and freedom of artistic expression. These are people who ‘side with’ freedom but not ‘supporters’ of any political party or view,” the statement read.
“Vote for artistic freedom”
Posters were shared on the collective’s social media account, inviting people to vote in the second round of the presidential elections. The posters read, “Vote for freedom of thought, for artistic freedom, for religion to stop judging art, for censorship not to be taken for granted, against those who see art as a freak show, and against bans on festivals and celebrations.”
Özgür Sanat Meclisi: Koşulsuz Bir Demokrasi Talep Ediyoruz!
Election rally from artists: “Cling to the ballot box”
24 May 2023
Artists posted videos on their social media accounts and launched a campaign called “Cling to the Ballot Box.” With the videos they shot, the artists called people to “cling to the ballot box for democracy, freedom and justice” in the second round of the presidential elections.
Haluk Bilginer, Yeşim Salkım, Ayşenil Şamlıoğlu, Nergis Öztürk, Banu Çiçek, Yiğit Poyraz, Bensu Orhunöz, Hasibe Eren, Mehmet Günsur, Vahide Perçin, Ece Uslu, Sinan Tuzcu and Senan Kara took part in the videos which were published on social media accounts named “sandigasaril” (cling to the ballot box).
Sanatçılardan Çağrı: Sandığa Sarıl!
Canceled Events
Müfit Can Saçıntı’s show canceled due to social media posts
27 May 2023
Director, screenwriter and actor Müfit Can Saçıntı’s show was canceled “due to his social media posts” after he was invited by AKP-affiliated Tekirdağ Süleymanpaşa Municipality to perform.
Müfit Can Saçıntı, known for productions such as “Mandıra Filozofu,” “Seksenler,” “Yaşamak Güzel Şey” and “Babamın Ceketi,” announced on his Twitter account that Tekirdağ Süleymanpaşa Municipality canceled his show and the reason was explained to him as “Our mayor saw Mr. Müfit’s social media posts and thus canceled the show.”
Saçıntı, who referred to the incident as caused by “a district municipality in Thrace” but did not specify which one, made the following statement on his social media account:
“I was supposed to be on stage right now, at this very hour, at the event organized by a district municipality. It was canceled and now, I’m sitting at home. Why? What happened? I have been performing on stage for the last 6 years! I have not once begged to be invited by a single municipality so far! I had made my stance clear with my agent and event organizers in that they should not approach any municipality on my behalf, but that I’d go if I was ever invited because municipalities belong to the public, whether or not the mayor knows or chooses to ignore this…”
Müfit Can Saçıntı’nın Gösterisi Paylaşımları Nedeniyle İptal Edildi
Denied visa from Germany, Volkan Konak cancels concert
28 May 2023
Musician Volkan Konak and his crew’s visa application for a concert in Germany was rejected. Volkan Konak announced on social media that they had to cancel the concert.
In a post on his Twitter account, Volkan Konak claimed that the reason for the rejection was the granting of citizenship to immigrants in Turkey
“Dear friends; we, who give concerts all over the world, can’t even get visas to European countries anymore because of the citizenship given to undocumented people in Turkey, and we have been rejected twice for visas from Germany, so we have canceled our May concert in Germany. We apologize to our fans. What can I say? Such a shame…”
Almanya Vize Vermeyince Volkan Konak Konserini İptal Etti
Insults and Targeting
AKP representatives insult and target actress Merve Dizdar
28 May 2023
After actress Merve Dizdar won the Best Actress Award in Cannes, many AKP officials shared insulting posts that targeted her.
Actress Merve Dizdar became the first Turkish actress to win the Best Actress award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival Awards for her performance in Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s “Kuru Otlar Üstünde.” In her acceptance speech, Dizdar said, “The character Nuray, whom I portrayed in the film, is a woman who fights for what she believes in and for her existence, and has been forced to pay a price for this. I would have liked to work long and hard just to know and understand her better, but unfortunately, being a woman in the geography I live in entails knowing her and what she feels by heart since the day I was born. In order to strengthen the struggle of Nuray and women like her, I dedicate this award to all my sisters who do not submit to what they are deemed worthy of, who take action, who risk everything for this cause and who do not give up hope no matter what, and to all the struggling souls in Turkey who are waiting for the good days they deserve.”
While Dizdar’s speech drew immense attention on social media, Emre Cemil Ayvalı, AKP’s Vice President for Publicity and Media, shared Dizdar’s speech and wrote: “Yet another one of the pathetic slaves of the West. She won that award not with her acting skills, but with the loyalty she offered on her knees and through insulting her country in their own language… She is so lame that she reads the paper handed to her trembling, and so insecure that she throws out her own country under the bus in the eyes of her enslavers… The difference between her and the PKK members who are hosted in palaces in France is nothing but her industry. This is all that Merve Dizdar is.”
Dizdar’s speech was targeted by many pro-AKP accounts and shared with insulting remarks. Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) Deputy Chairman İbrahim Uslu also targeted Dizdar with the following comments:
“First, you must learn to respect your own country, Merve Dizdar. Then you can expect appreciation from all citizens of this country for the award you received. There is nothing to congratulate in those who do not respect their country.”
Serdar Çam, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, shared a post associating Dizdar’s speech with terrorism, saying, “Their attitude is similar to the hostile attacks and accusations carried out by the Armenian, PKK, FETÖ or DHKP-C lobbies, pretending to protect the rights of the women of their own country.” The full post is as follows:
“You have no idea what you are reading or what is meant by that. You are nothing but a loser, like those brought there from a colonial country, polished and sent back to their country. But you are incapable of even reading out your mother tongue, let alone speaking good French like them. You have not had enough of this loser Westernization mentality for 200 years. As long as you insult your own homeland, you will keep struggling for nothing to be cherished. This is how the colonial order works – to suck the life force of millions, it creates an intermediate elite layer and opens channels of intervention through them. Of course, these methods are outdated. The cake you don’t deserve at all will be shared among the growing youth. Many young talents will surpass these people by light years. It is mostly because of this that these pathetic people are raging. The truth will come out sooner or later. It will take time – it will require at least 30-40 years of career work. Just last week, a mentality was suspected of not responding to magazines that insulted the President of Turkey. A political stance that cannot even react to an artist who insults his own country cannot be ethical. The attitude of making peace can never be trusted either. Their attitude is similar to the hostile attacks and accusations carried out by the Armenian, PKK, FETÖ or DHKP-C lobbies, pretending to protect the rights of the women of their own country. Sooner or later, our people will put those who insult them in their place.”
Eyüp Gökhan Özekin, AKP’s Vice President for City and Culture, also posted a post targeting Dizdar, saying:
“They made money from this country. They became famous in this country. They had fun, ate and drank in this country. But they could not love it. Merve Dizdar spewed her hatred as soon as she found the opportunity to disparage her country to the Europeans whom she considered superior to her nation. Without caring that she even had this opportunity thanks to this country… There are many of them. There are also many losers who continue to carry them however much they become a burden on their backs. Shame on everyone who surrenders to them. Shame on everyone who doesn’t put a stop to them.”
Cansın Yılmaz, Head of Environment, Urbanization and Culture at the AKP Ankara Provincial Youth Branch, shared Dizdar’s speech, saying, “Your political hegemony is over, and your cultural hegemony will also end.”
Economic Hardships
İmge Sahaf: last day of a second-hand bookseller in Kadıköy
25 May 2023
Increasing costs are causing the culture and arts sector to shrink. İmge Sahaf, one of Kadıköy’s well-known bookstores, could not withstand the tough market conditions and announced its closure.
İmge Sahaf, one of the most well-known and biggest booksellers in Kadıköy, closed down today. İmge Sahaf was one of the few remaining second-hand booksellers in Kadıköy, where dozens of booksellers were once located. It was the last bookstore on Güneşlibahçe Street, which is now filled with cafés and restaurants. Book lovers were wondering how İmge Sahaf resisted in recent years with a lonely book and magazine stand at the door, among all the venues that were blocking the street with tables on both sides. Finally, İmge Sahaf also gave up.
Report on Freedom of Artistic Expression in Turkey / May 8-21
Bans, Cancelled Events and Prohibited Demonstrations
Ban on Selçuk Balcı and Korhan Özyıldız live performances
8 May 2023
Korhan Özyıldız, the lead singer of Marsis band, announced that the free public concert with the theme “Youth Welcomes Spring” to be held in Rize on May 9th, where musician Selçuk Balcı would also take the stage, has been canceled.
Korhan Özyıldız announced this on his social media account, posting, “Another concert in our hometown, Rize, was prevented from taking place. Well, are we going to accept this? Of course not! They will not be able to prevent the coming of spring!”
In another post, Özyıldız said, “The youth concert to be held in Rize was not permitted. The concert will be hosted by Fındıklı Municipality. Spring will come, and no more bans!”
Selçuk Balcı ve Korhan Özyıldız’a Yasak! Konser Rize Yerine Fındıklı’da Yapılacak
METU Spring Fest cancelled on the pretext of Maraş earthquake
10 May 2023
METU Spring Fest, which was to be held for the 35th time this year, was canceled by the university administration. Students protested the decision.
METU’s trustee rector Verşan Kök canceled the International Spring Fest, which is organized by students every year. According to the statement of METU International Youth Community, which organizes the festival, the community wanted to meet with the rector and the school’s Health, Culture and Sports Department to discuss preparations and plans for the festival. In return, the administration stated that the festival would not take place. The reason provided was the Kahramanmaraş-based earthquakes that occurred on February 6. It must be pointed out that there is no official decision yet.
The community stated that they are aware of the suffering caused by the earthquake, and therefore were planning to invite tradesmen and institutions from the earthquake region to collect donations. The plan is to organize this festival in solidarity with the earthquake region.
Students have been protesting for about 10 days due to the cancellation of the festival.
During the protests, students carried banners and chanted slogans such as “The festival belongs to METU, METU is ours”, “Verşan Kök cannot be the rector of METU”, “Don’t buckle, protect the festival” and “Verşan’s departure will be celebrated with a festival”.
ODTÜ Bahar Şenliği, Maraş Depremi Gerekçesiyle Yasak
Izmir Atatürk High School’s traditional dance show cancelled
19 May 2023
Necati Kalafat, Head of the Veli-Der (Parents’ Association) Izmir Branch, made a statement against the cancellation of the waltz and modern dance show organized every year on October 29 and May 19 at Izmir Atatürk High School.
Izmir Atatürk High School, one of the most well-established schools in Izmir, has canceled the waltz show performed by students every year on October 29 and May 19.
Veli-Der claimed that the administration of İzmir Atatürk High School canceled the show at the last minute due to the reaction of the İzmir Provincial Directorate of National Education and several religious groups. The dance performance was removed from the ceremony as per the decision of the school administration.
Making a statement on the issue, Necati Kalafat, President of the Izmir Branch of Veli-Der, said, “Izmir Veli-Der is officially asking: What is it exactly, the concept defined as the ‘reaction of religious groups?’ What could young people dancing possibly disturb? You cannot impose your dark mindset on us by being preoccupied with how young people, who are as little as your own kids, dress. The most successful students of Izmir Atatürk High School, which has been a bastion of the republic and enlightenment for decades, have things to say in the face of this. As the parents of these children, we will continue to dance and produce science together with them – boys and girls alike. We announce to the public that the Izmir Provincial Directorate of National Education should immediately take the necessary actions and penalize those responsible, or otherwise will be a partner to this dark mentality.”
İzmir Atatürk Lisesi’nin Geleneksel Vals Gösterisi İptal Edildi
Copyright Infringements
Ahmet Aslan: “Muharrem İnce used my work without consent”
13 May 2023
Musician Ahmet Aslan announced that Muharrem İnce used his song during his presidential election campaign without obtaining his consent.
Musician Ahmet Aslan announced that his folk song “Minnet Eylemem” was used by Muharrem İnce without his permission. Muharrem İnce was one of the four presidential candidates in the 2023 elections, but decided to withdraw on May 11, 2023.
In his post, Aslan tagged the social media accounts of the Turkish Music Work Owners’ Professional Union (MESAM), Kalan Music and Muharrem İnce.
Ahmet Aslan: Muharrem İnce Eserimi İzinsiz Kullandı
Sibel Can files lawsuit for unlawful usage of 12 works on digital
18 May 2023
Sibel Can filed a lawsuit against Raks Music Company for the unauthorized and unlawful use of her 12 works on digital media.
Singer Sibel Can filed a lawsuit against Raks Music Company for alleged unauthorized and unlawful use of 12 works from her album “Türk Sanat Müziği” on digital media. The famous artist, claiming that she suffered material and emotional damage, demanded that the unauthorized use be stopped and infringement be prevented.
Sibel Can Dijital Mecralarda İzinsiz Kullanılan 12 Eseri İçin Dava Açtı
Burhan Şeşen: “Accommodation facilities will pay royalties for music they play”
18 May 2023
Burhan Şeşen, president of MÜYORBİR (Professional Association of Music Performers), announced that 20 thousand tourism facilities will be licensed by the end of 2023.
Artists were having problems due to not receiving royalties for their music played in accommodation facilities and, according to MÜYORBİR, this problem has been solved.
In a written statement, MÜYORBİR claimed, “We have solved the licensing problem in accommodation facilities once and for all, which has been a hot topic for years.”
The statement said that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a memo on the issue on May 15, 2023 and made it compulsory for accommodation facilities playing music to submit their standing within the scope of the Law No. 5846 on Intellectual and Artistic Works.
Speaking to the PMAF Platform, Burhan Şeşen said, “”Hotels, motels, hostels and other touristic accommodation facilities are now obliged to obtain a music license. Just as they have to obtain a certificate of conformity for the pool, they will also obtain a license for their public music broadcasts and pay royalties for the music they play.”
With the new memo, accommodation facilities found to be operating without a valid music license will be prosecuted in accordance with the Tourism Encouragement Law No. 2634. In addition, a series of severe sanctions, from financial penalties to the shutting down of the facility, will be imposed in case of non-compliance.
Burhan Şeşen added that their goal is to license 20 thousand tourism facilities by the end of 2023.
Burhan Şeşen: Konaklama Tesisleri Kullandıkları Müziğin Telifini Ödeyecek
Second round of elections: Statements from professional associations
PEN: “Elections continue: A matter of choosing darkness or illumination!”
18 May 2023
PEN Writers’ Association made a written statement on May 14 on the second round of the presidential elections. Calling on voters to go and vote, the statement read: “We must protect both our votes and our ballot boxes on May 28th in the second round of the presidential elections! This is a question of choosing darkness or illumination, going backwards or forwards, preferring monarchy or modernity, choosing the past or the future!”
The full statement can be found in the link below:
PEN: Seçim Devam Ediyor! Ya Aydınlık Ya Karanlık!
Writers’ Union of Turkey: “We must vote to bring an order of law and justice”
19 May 2023
“In the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, we must protect our future in the spirit of the May 19th Anatolian Resistance, leaning on our faith and hope for better days,” the Writers’ Union of Turkey declared in its call for the May 28th Presidential Election.
The Writers’ Union of Turkey (TYS) issued a statement for the second round of the 2023 Presidential Election.
Founded in 1974 upon the efforts of Aziz Nesin, TYS invited voters to go and vote to help retain free democratic order.
The statement can be summarized as follows:
“It is a fact that where there is no freedom of thought and expression, one cannot talk about human rights and liberties. A democratic, secular and social state of law based on human rights, a country where freedom of speech and writing are empowered is what we all long for. We support the struggle towards a country where the basic demands of the working class, who produce and create, are met, where injustice has come to an end, and where everyone benefits equally from the value created.
“On May 28th, in the second round of the Presidential Election, we have to go and vote to say yes to the order of law and justice, in which freedom and democracy will prevail by defying oppression, poverty and discrimination. In the 100th anniversary of our Republic, let us protect our future with the spirit of the May 19th Anatolian Resistance, with our faith and hope for good days to come.”
Hak ve Adalet Düzeni İçin Sandığa Gitmek Zorundayız
Female artists calling out: “We’re here and we’re not surrendering to darkness!”
SPOT: The call for elections prepared by the Leftist Feminist Movement was signed by many female intellectuals, academics, musicians, actors, lawyers and artists. “Either we will attain the light or we will be left breathless,” the women said.
Hundreds of women, including many artists, emphasized the importance of this election as they called on women to vote, with a declaration prepared by the Leftist Feminist Movement that read, “We will either be left breathless, or we will break the darkness together and reach the light of dawn.”
In the declaration titled “We are here, we will not surrender to darkness,” the women said, “We have the right to an equal, free and secular country where we can live without fear – let’s build it together. Come on! We call on all women to vote and protect their votes to put an end to the authoritarian one-man regime.”
Kadın Sanatçılar: Buradayız! Karanlığa Teslim Olmayacağız!
Lawsuits and detentions
Sexual perpetrator Musa Orhan files another lawsuit against Farah Zeynep Abdullah
20 May 2023
Musa Orhan, the perpetrator of sexual assault who sued Ezgi Mola, Hazal Kaya, Melek Mosso and Farah Zeynep Abdullah and demanded compensation, filed a second defamation lawsuit against Farah Zeynep Abdullah.
Musa Orhan, who was the subject of the letter calling him out for sexual assault written by İpek Er, who committed suicide in Batman, filed another defamation lawsuit against Farah Zeynep Abdullah.
Farah Zeynep Abdullah was sentenced to a judicial fine in the previous defamation lawsuit filed by Musa Orhan.
Actress Farah Zeynep Abdullah posted on social media that Musa Orhan filed another lawsuit against her, saying, “Musa Orhan, a dishonorable man apparently using, or rather feeling absolutely free to use, the justice system as a method of livelihood, has now filed a lawsuit against me for compensation. That prick!”
Tecavüz Faili Musa Orhan, Farah Zeynep Abdullah’a Bir Kez Daha Dava Açtı
Boğaziçi students released after being detained for displaying pictures to insult the President
Three Boğaziçi University students detained on May 19 were released on May 20 in the evening hours. Boğaziçi Resistance declared that their friends were ill-treated and tortured during the detention.
Three Boğaziçi University students were detained on May 19, 2023 for displaying visual materials prepared using President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s photos. The students were released in the evening of May 20. The students were not subjected to a travel ban or judicial control conditions.
The students were criticizing the government’s incompetence after the February 6 Kahramanmaraş earthquake and the appointment of a trustee rector for Boğaziçi University.
Three students were detained for allegedly insulting the president in one of their visual works.
Boğaziçili Öğrenciler Serbest Bırakıldı
Sanat Özgürlüğünü İzleme Platformu projesi Özgürlük İçin Friedrich Naumann Vakfı Doğu ve Güneydoğu Avrupa Bölge Ofisi (Sofya) tarafından desteklenmektedir.
Platform for Monitoring Artistic Freedom project is supported by Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom East and Southeast Europe Regional Office (Sofia).