Mesopotamia Cultural Centre (MKM) artist Cesim Başboğa, who works in Bitlis, has been sentenced to prison for the second time for singing the song “Serhıldan Jiyane (Resistance is Life)” during a “Dengbêj Night” event held last year. The case, in which he was previously sentenced to 2 years and 15 days in prison, has been overturned by the Appeals Court. However, the local court once again ruled for punishment in the retrial. Emphasizing that the song he performed had been sung and listened to by millions on artistic platforms, Başboğa protested the ruling, saying: “The real target is assimilation.”
Appeals Court overturned, but a local court issued a new sentence
In September last year, the local court prepared an indictment claiming that the song was “encouraging” and “praised and legitimized PKK actions,” accusing Başboğa of “making propaganda for an organization.” Following the trial based on this indictment, the Bitlis 2nd High Criminal Court sentenced Başboğa to 2 years and 15 days in prison on the same charges. The Appeals Court later ruled that “there was no basis for punishment” and ordered a retrial, but the local court again sentenced Başboğa to 10 months in prison on the same grounds. After the third hearing, the court initially handed down a one-year sentence, which was then reduced to 10 months through judicial mitigation.
Judicial harassment has become systematic
Explaining that he has faced several similar investigations in the past for his songs, Cesim Başboğa emphasized that judicial harassment against his art has become systematic. Reacting to the ruling, he said: “Frankly, we are not surprised by such decisions anymore. We know that justice in this country varies from person to person. In the current political climate in Turkey, those who express themselves in their own language and culture are punished. This shows the state’s insincerity in the so-called democratic process. For years, an assimilation policy has been pursued through culture and art, and the state has turned it into an institutionalized policy. No court ruling or threat will stop us from singing in our own language. The decision of the local court is null and void in our view, and we will appeal it again.