Statement from IMM regarding Pınar Aydınlar

Folk music artist Pınar Aydınlar performed a concert at the "Tunceli Cultural Meetings" program held at the Yenikapı Event Area. Aydınlar took the stage holding a poster featuring a photograph of Seyit Rıza.

Folk music artist Pınar Aydınlar performed at the Tunceli Cultural Meetings program organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) at the Yenikapı Event Area.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an ex officio investigation into Aydınlar, who appeared on stage with a Seyit Rıza poster, and the officials involved, on allegations of "praising a crime and a criminal."

DETAINED

Following the news of the investigation, Aydınlar announced on her social media account that she had been detained.

IMM: WE DO NOT ENDORSE THIS

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality issued a statement regarding the "Tunceli Cultural Meetings," where Aydınlar, who is now under investigation, performed. The statement said, "During the Tunceli Cultural Meeting, images emerged during the portion of the program determined by the associations of fellow citizens that were not endorsed by us and were not part of the program. The artist Pınar Aydınlar, who took the stage, did so in line with the request of our Tunceli associations and under that responsibility."

The full statement from the IMM is as follows:

"The 'Homeland Cultural Meetings' organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in Yenikapı are organized in partnership with the non-governmental organizations and municipalities of our provinces. In these events, all provinces of our country are hosted every week, and their food, dances, history, and folk songs are introduced, bringing fellow citizens together. In the area organized by the IMM Civil Society Organizations Relations Branch Directorate, stage programs are created based on the requests of our associations, and our municipality has no intervention or involvement in this matter.

The 'Tunceli Cultural Meetings' program is one of the countless homeland meetings that have taken place in this vein. During the Tunceli Cultural Meeting, images emerged during the portion of the program determined by the associations of fellow citizens that were not endorsed by us and were not part of the program. The artist Pınar Aydınlar, who took the stage, did so in line with the request of our Tunceli associations and under that responsibility. However, the remarks made on stage and the actual actions taken are the responsibility of the individual concerned and are absolutely not endorsed by us.

This stage is a stage established for our cities in Turkey to reflect their traditions, customs, and cultures. Making any political statement on this stage outside of its primary purpose and scope is an unacceptable situation."