HDP MP takes ban on Kurdish singer's concert to parliament's agenda

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MP Ömer Faruk Gergerioğlu has submitted a parliamentary question, inquiring why the municipality of Derince in the northwestern Kocaeli province, run by the Justice and Development Party (AKP), canceled a concert by Kurdish singer Aynur Doğan.

In his motion addressing Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, Gergerlioğlu recalled that when President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had met with the youth in the eastern province of Batman in November 2021, he was welcomed by Doğan's song “Darhejîrokê.”

Gergerlioğlu asked if the "allegation suggesting that with the cancellation of this concert, the [Derince] municipality wants to give a message to some of the coalition partners of the [ruling] People's Alliance" is true or not. 

The Derince municipality announced on May 15 that it canceled Doğan's concert that was planned for May 20. When the move drew widespread reaction, the municipality released a statement, arguing that the “necessary permission was not obtained" for the concert and that “inappropriate ticket sales had occurred.” The municipality also said that it had carried out a “detailed analysis.”

Several opposition politicians slammed the AKP-run municipality's move, with main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu showing his reaction with the following tweet: “Music banned after midnight. The youth likes K-pop, banned. Kurdish music banned. If they were to bring a constitution that bans having fun, it would fit them. We were born free; we will die free in this homeland. Get this into your head, AKP. 'Dar Hejiroke' [a song by Aydoğan] would go well tonight.”

Future Party leader Ahmet Davutoğlu similarly showed his reaction on Twitter, saying: “Whichever language it is performed in, the language of music is universal. How dare you ban Kurdish music. Kurdish is the core language of these lands.”

Several writers, artists and journalists also reacted against the ban, with renowned author Murathan Mungan tweeting: “Aynur Doğan is the international pride of these lands. She is a music reputation on her own.”

Musician Ceylan Ertem said that she stands in full support of Doğan and wrote: "I had not heard a vile thing recently as much as 'Banning Aynur Doğan concert.'" 

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