For 53 days members of the left-wing Turkish music band, Grup Yorum, have been on hunger strike.

Since May 16th, they have been conducting this form of resistance to demand the right of expression and to oppose the repression that is taking place against them and their supporters in Turkey and abroad.

The band have pressed the following demands:

“We demand that

• our members be released and the cases be dropped.
• police raids be ended  in the İdil Cultural Center [in Okmeydanı, İstanbul], that was raided for eight times in these last months.
• the removal of thewanted ‘terrorist lists’ of the Ministry of Interior upon our members and simpatizers.
• the removal of the ban on concerts and open squares to Grup Yorum concerts.

The hunger strikes were initially hosted by group members at the Cultural Center Ayçe İdil Erkmen, but in recent weeks imprisoned members of Grup Yorum, joined to the protest. Four members of the Grup Yorum – Bahar Kurt, Barış Ünal, İbrahim Gökçek and Helin Bölek have been conducting hunger strikes in support of their comrades`s demands.

In addition to Turkey, hunger strikes in support of the Grup Yorum were held in Austria, Belgium, England (UK), France and Germany. The hunger strikes were carried out by members of Marxist-Leninist People’s Front, fans of the Grup Yorum, as well as representatives of German leftist organizations.

The fascist oligarchy still prefers to neglect the demands of musicians, and at the moment it is not known whether the government has taken action against the hunger strike that has been going on for almost two months.

Grup Yorum is the people and can’t be silenced!

Our songs will win!