Kurdish MP Serhat Eren has raised concerns in the Turkish Parliament over the arrest of three Kurdish workers in Balıkesir for listening to Kurdish music, asking, “Is listening to Kurdish songs a crime in this country?” Eren, representing the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, called on the Justice and Interior Ministries to address the issue and investigate the actions of the police involved.
The incident occurred when construction workers Özgür İpek, Mehmet Argın and Cemal Güzel were detained while playing Kurdish music at their worksite. Güzel was subsequently arrested on charges of “organisational propaganda” and “resisting the police,” a move that Eren described as discriminatory and unjust.
The workers, who were also attacked for wearing Amedspor football shirts, a symbol of Kurdish pride, have expressed their determination to resist the ongoing hostility against their community.
In his parliamentary motion on Monday, Eren highlighted the workers’ account of the event, stating, “Mehmet Argın told us, ‘They attacked us simply because we are Kurdish. We neither shouted slogans nor resisted. Everything will be clear if the camera footage is reviewed.'”
Eren also criticised the lack of communication with the workers’ families during the incident, noting that the authorities failed to inform them and denied the workers access to their lawyers. Only Cemal Güzel was provided with a lawyer from the bar association, while the others were left without legal representation.
“Is it not [anti] Kurdish hostility and discrimination when workers are beaten for listening to Kurdish music?” Eren asked, urging the government to explain why Kurdish culture and language are being targeted. He called for investigations into the police and other individuals involved in the mistreatment of the workers, including those who refused to provide medical reports documenting their injuries.
Eren further questioned the broader implications of such actions, asking whether the arrest of Güzel was intended to cover up the abuse he and his colleagues faced. He warned that the government’s policies and rhetoric are fostering a climate of racism and violence against Kurds, leading to increased incidents of harassmentv and torture.
The MP concluded by condemning the lack of accountability and calling on the government to end its policies that incite hatred and discrimination against Kurds. He vowed to pursue justice for the workers and ensure that the issue remains under parliamentary scrutiny.
In addition to his parliamentary action, Eren, along with a delegation from the DEM Party, visited the affected workers in Balıkesir and Nevşehir. Eren described these attacks as the result of the “toxic language” promoted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) coalition, which, he argued, has emboldened acts of violence against Kurds and their cultural practices.
“We stand with these young workers, whose hands are calloused from their labour, and we will continue to support their quest for justice,” said Gülşen Özer, a member of the visiting delegation.
