Investigation Against Musician Alpay, Who Commemorated Berkin Elvan in His Concert

* Photograph taken from the cover of Alpay's album "Aşka Dair" (On Love)

Click to read the article in Turkish

Musician Alpay gave a concert in İstanbul on May 22, 2019 to mark his 50th year as a musician. Before singing one of his songs during the concert, he addressed the crowd by saying, "I will sing my next song for the people who were brutally massacred by the state." An investigation has been launched against the musician due to these remarks.

Alpay devoted his song to Berkin Elvan, who was shot to death with a tear gas canister during Gezi resistance in 2013, as well as to Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin İnan, who were the student leaders of the 68s movement and were executed by hanging on May 6, 1972.

An investigation has been launched against the musician on charge of "praising the members of terrorist organizations and degrading the state."

'If commemorating them is terrorism, I am a terrorist'

Speaking to Gazete Duvar news website regarding the investigation, Alpay said, "If devoting a song to Deniz Gezmiş and his friends and to Berkin Elvan is terrorism, then, I am a terrorist."

"What makes it terrorism to devote a song to Deniz Gezmiş and his friends, who were massacred by the governments of the Republic of Turkey, and to Berkin Elvan, who lost his life in Gezi resistance?" has asked Alpay.

He has also said, "When I devoted the song, I received a standing ovation from the audience. If devoting a song to Deniz Gezmiş and his friends and to Berkin Elvan is terrorism, then, I am terrorist. I tell it everywhere."

Alpay has added that he will take a legal action.

Alpay's song "The Silent Scream of Ethem" (Ethem'in Sessiz Çığlığı) for Ethem Sarısülük, who was also shot to death during Gezi in Ankara.

About Alpay

Musician Ahmet Alpay Nazikioğlu, or simply Alpay as he is known in Turkey, was born in Ankara in 1935. He began his musical career in 1960 and has experimented with a number of styles, from romantic folk to rock. He also has covered a number of French and Italian songs.

Alpay is best known with his hit songs "Eylülde Gel" (Come in September) and "Fabrika Kızı" (The Factory Girl). (AÖ/SD)