Concert of Kurdish artist Mem Ararat canceled in Turkey's Bursa

"However, we are deeply saddened and concerned about the concert cancellations in recent days."
Kurdish artist Mem Ararat (Photo: Facebook/Mem Ararat)
Kurdish artist Mem Ararat (Photo: Facebook/Mem Ararat)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A concern for Kurdish artist Mem Ararat set to take place in Bursa was arbitrarily canceled by the Bursa Governor's Office on the grounds that it endangers "public safety."

"As of this morning, we received the cancellation decision of our concert, after all the preparations were completed and all tickets were sold out three days before the concert," Ararat said in a public statement.

"Music increases love and the feeling of free coexistence. However, we are deeply saddened and concerned about the concert cancellations in recent days," he added.

"We will continue to sing our songs in every language, to grow our love with art and music, and to embrace it with love."

Turkish authorities previously banned a Mem Ararat concert in the southeastern Kurdish-majority city of Diyarbakir back in 2018. 

Read More: Turkey bans concert in Diyarbakir by Kurdish singer Mem Ararat

Concerts of other Kurdish musicians were also recently banned in other cities across Turkey. The concert of Metin and Kemal Kahraman in Mus was banned on May 16, and a Kurdish theatre play by the Amed City Theater group in Kocaeli province was banned on May 13.

The Derince District Municipality in Turkey's northwestern Kocaeli province also banned an Aynur Doğan concert scheduled for May 20.

Read More: Aynur Doğan concert banned in Turkey

Nevertheless, other governorates and municipalities in Turkey still allowed Kurdish artists to hold their concerts.