Éirígí Stands with Grup Yorum Death Fasters
Éirígí For A New Republic sends solidarity and revolutionary greetings to the members of Turkish folk music group, ‘Grup Yorum’ who are currently engaged on a ‘death fast’.
The death fast, a long-standing tactic in Turkey, differs from a hunger strike with the protesters taking sugar and salt solutions in water, as well as the use of vitamin B1 in order to keep the brain functioning and alert, allowing them to prolong their strike.
Band members İbrahim Gökçek and Helin Bölek have been on a ‘death fast’ for over 250 days, in protest at the harassment of the group and their supporters by the Turkish state.
Since the band’s foundation in 1985, they have been subject to near constant harassment, arrest, bans and the destruction of their instruments.
The most recent death fast was a result of police raiding the İdil Cultural Center in Okmeydanı, İstanbul, arresting 30 people, including 7 members of the band, under the claim they belong to the banned Marxist organisation DHKP-C.
The purpose of the death fast is to raise awareness of their case internationally, as the band rightly believe they have no chance of a fair trial under repressive Turkish law. On the 11th of March both İbrahim and Helin were kidnapped by the Turkish police and brought to hospital where a process of force feeding was begun.
Speaking from Athlone, Éirígí General Secretary, Mickey Moran said “Grup Yorum are being specifically targeted by the reactionary Turkish regime as their music is the music of hope and resistance for millions of people fighting for a better future.
There is something particularly twisted about targeting the culture and art of a people in an attempt to break their resistance and eradicate their voice. We are asking people to highlight the case of Grup Yorum on social media, within trade unions and within political parties. We must ensure that the Erdogan regime knows the world is watching and demanding the unconditional release of all Grup Yorum members immediately.”
The five demands of the Grup Yorum fasters are:
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