2020 Obit: Helin Bolek of Grup Yorum

Subject: Obit: Helin Bolek of Grup Yorum
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Apr 20 - 03:43 AM

A member of the Turkish radical folk-rock band Grup Yorum has died on a hunger strike against the government's ban on them performing.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/03/banned-turkish-folk-group-member-dies-following-hunger-strike

They're a high-profile and long-established band. I have cassettea if them older than Bolek was when she died.

Subject: RE: 2020 Obit: Helin Bolek of Grup Yorum
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 04 Apr 20 - 02:13 PM

Here are a number of their songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUSnxcz6aDU

RIP Helin Bolek.

Subject: RE: 2020 Obit: Helin Bolek of Grup Yorum
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 07 Apr 20 - 03:48 PM

Politics aside, she was a great member of a popular Folk Group and sometimes I think we forget that life isn't always cosy for folk singers. The links are well worth looking at. Remember Helin and her sacrifice.

RIP

Subject: RE: 2020 Obit: Helin Bolek of Grup Yorum
From: Jack Campin
Date: 07 May 20 - 07:35 PM

Two more members of the band dead on hunger strike.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-dissident-grup-yorum-ibrahim-gokcek-dies-hunger-strike

Subject: RE: 2020 Obit: Helin Bolek of Grup Yorum
From: Joe G
Date: 07 May 20 - 07:46 PM

Tragic - I went to Turkey a few years ago after thinking that their human rights record seemed to be improving. It is a beautiful country with lovely people. A restaurant owner told us how he feared Erdogan's ever more repressive actions and he proved to be right. i would love to go back but will not do so whilst this evil autocrat is in power.

Subject: RE: 2020 Obit: Helin Bolek of Grup Yorum
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 May 20 - 07:40 PM

The police attacked Gökçek's funeral with tear gas and rubber bullets and confiscated his body so his wife couldn't see him:

(in French) https://kurdistan-au-feminin.fr/2020/05/08/turquie-le-cadavre-du-musicien-de-grup-yorum-ibrahim-gokcek-enleve-par-la-police/

Subject: RE: 2020 Obit: Helin Bolek of Grup Yorum
From: Joe G
Date: 09 May 20 - 04:27 AM

Dreadful. What an evil regime. So sad that so many Turkish people keep voting for him. I believe there is a split between the more sophisticated and educated people of Istanbul and the coastal areas and the large generally less well educated and more traditional inland rural population - the latter group generally supporting Erdogan