The reversal of the Berbang concert ban through MLSA Legal Unit's application is a significant win in the struggle for cultural rights and freedom of expression
MLSA - On World Music Freedom Day, March 3, the ongoing restrictions on Kurdish music events and concerts in Turkey, especially in recent years, have come into sharp focus. Between July 2019 and February 2024, at least 26 Kurdish events were banned by local governorates or district governorates.
Concerts, comprising 17 of these prohibitions, were the most frequently banned events, followed by seven theatre plays, a literary talk, and a stand-up show. Reasons cited for these bans included pandemic conditions, national security concerns, and allegations of terrorist propaganda.
Notably, the ban on the Berbang concert, held by the Mesopotamia Cultural Center (MKM) in Istanbul on October 16, 2021, was justified by national security concerns. However, this decision was challenged by MLSA and evenutally overturned by the Istanbul 6th Administrative Court overturned by the Istanbul 6th Administrative Court in the summer of 2023, ruling that the Kadıköy District Governorate's ban violated freedom of expression, scientific and artistic freedom, and the right to peaceful assembly. Additionally, in November 2023, the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA)reported this case to the Council of Europe, emphasizing the increasing bans on Kurdish concerts, theater, and art events in Turkey and the need for continued monitoring.
Pandemic conditions were also used to justify bans. For instance, a Kurdish literary talk organized by Mirza Metin in Mardin on October 13, 2020, was canceled due to the pandemic, as was the Amed City Theatre's "Tartuffe" play in Mardin on December 5, 2021.
In some instances, events were canceled without any given reason. For example, Mem Ararat's concert in Bursa on May 29, 2022, and Şano Ar's "Qral a Travis" theater play in Istanbul on February 16, 2024, were banned without explanation.
According to these figures, an average of at least four Kurdish events were banned each year, with 2024 witnessing the highest number of bans, particularly in Istanbul. Other cities where bans were enforced include Mardin, Şırnak, Ankara, Bingöl, Bursa, Dersim, İzmir, Kocaeli, Mersin, Muş, Urfa, Şırnak, and Van.
