Kurdish singer dies 288 days into hunger strike in Turkey

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish singer Helin Bolek has passed away after going on a 288-day hunger strike, demanding the removal of state pressure on her music group and the release of her colleagues.  

Originally from the Kurdish city of Diyarbakir in southeast Turkey, the 28-year-old singer had spent most of her life in Istanbul. She joined Grup Yorum, a band known for their political songwriting in both Kurdish and Turkish around five years ago.  

Formed in 1985, the group has been accused of having links to the banned leftist group Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP) which is designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara and its Western allies. 

The group was given a ban on all activities by the Turkish government in 2016.

Grup Yorum said in a tweet early Friday that Bolek “fell martyr” after a 288-day hunger strike in solidarity with bandmates who had also been imprisoned.

Pervin Buldan, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) said in a tweet that Bolek died because her demands were not met, calling her “a beautiful human being.” 

In a joint statement with fellow co-chair Mithat Sancar, Buldan called the death “unacceptable.”

They added that Ankara “should take urgent steps” to prevent further deaths from hunger strikes. 

Bolek was released from prison in November 2019 after being arrested with her fellow bandmates on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization two years earlier. She went on hunger strike in June of last year.

Alongside fellow bandmate Ibrahim Gokcek, currently on his 291th day of hunger strike, Bolek was hospitalized after home raids by Turkish police on March 11.

Their demands include an end to raids against Idil Cultural Center, the removal of band members from the Ministry of Interior’s most wanted list, the removal of the government-imposed ban and the release of all band members from prison. 

Aygul Bilgi, the deceased singer’s mother, has previously described her daughter’s suffering while on hunger strike. 

"She cannot sleep at night, because her nerve endings have got inflamed….she suffers great pain. I want my daughter to sing folk songs again. I do not want my child to die. Don't you want to see these bright people on the stage? So, please, everyone who hears my words: Please do something, but quickly."

The Human Rights Association (İHD) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (THV) - two outspoken rights groups in Turkey - said in a joint statement that they are “sorry” for not being able to prevent Bolek's death.

The ruling Justice and Development Party’s government has censored cultural activities in Turkey, especially those which are related to Kurdish language. A great number of Kurdish singers have been banned in the country for their alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) - armed group which has fought for the cultural and political rights of Kurds in Turkey.