ŞIRNEX - Hatice Durak, the mother of artist Nudem Durak, who was sentenced to 19 years in prison for the Kurdish songs she sang, stated that her daughter's health condition is deteriorating. 

 

Kurdish musician Nudem Durak (35), who was arrested after being detained in Şirnex (Şırnak-Kurdistan) in 2015, was sentenced to a total of 19 years in prison in 2 separate cases due to the expressions in the Kurdish songs she sang. Durak, who was held in Amed (Diyarbakır-Kurdistan) and Mêrdîn (Mardin-Kurdistan) prisons after her arrest, was transferred to Bayburt Type M Women's Closed Prison. 

 

For 8 years, Durak has been held in Bayburt Prison and has been suffering from Graves' disease (toxic goiter) and osteoporosis. Many artists both in Kurdistan and abroad organized campaigns for the release of Durak, whose illness is progressing day by day. Hatice Durak, who can only see her daughter once a year due to the long distance, wants her daughter to be released.

 

 

‘NO ARTIST SHOULD ACCEPT’

 

Calling on artists for solidarity, Mother Durak said: "I call out to all artists around the world, stand by Nudem. She was singing songs just like you. But she was sentenced to 19 years in prison for singing in her mother tongue. If it wasn't for her illness, we would have been able to endure it, but with her severe illness, she cannot stay in prison for so many years. They should also take initiatives for Nudem's release. People who kill people are not sentenced for so many years. But they sentenced a Kurdish song to 21 years. No artist should accept this sentence." 

 

 

MA / Mahmut Altıntaş