Now singing is a crime
Nine members of a Kurdish children’s choir, aged from 12 to 17, have gone on trial in Turkey. They are facing up to five years in jail for singing a march in Kurdish at a world music festival in San Francisco.
The prosecutor’s indictment claims the song is the anthem of the PKK.
In a statement on the case, Amnesty International argues that singing a historic anthem cannot be judged a threat to public order - and is therefore a matter of free expression. It warns that the children will be considered prisoners of conscience if they are found guilty.
One of the singers told the BBC the lyrics to the march were in an old form of Kurdish, and he and his friends did not even understand them. He said the choir wanted to showcase Kurdish culture, not engage in politics - and they only sang the march in response to a request from the audience.
Three teenagers, aged 15 to 17, went on trial on Thursday in an adult, serious crimes court in Diyarbakir. Six younger choir-members, aged 12 to 15, will be tried in a children’s court on the same charge in July.
Thursday 19 Jun 2008 | Paul | Turkey
