Turkey: How Artists Challenge(d) Erdoğan with Gezi Protests

Описание: When the Gezi Park protests erupted on May 28, 2013 in Istanbul, they quickly developed into major uprisings throughout Turkey against the authoritarian government led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Initially an environmentalist protest against the demolition of a park in the heart of Istanbul, hundreds of thousands wanted to reclaim democratic rights for their country and fight back against censorship, despotism and violence at the hands of the state police.

Gezi Park soon became synonymous with a young, creative and cosmopolitan movement supported by actors, writers, filmmakers and musicians; a symbol of resistance, solidarity and upheaval. But the government’s reaction was harsh, singling out prominent and important protestors and blaming them for the uprisings – with the aim of intimidating and spreading fear among the movement. Osman Kavala, a patron of the arts and a human rights activist, was charged with attempting to overthrow the Turkish government and given a life sentence. 15 other activists who allegedly supported him were also imprisoned.

On this episode of Arts Unveiled, we meet five artists who were on the streets during the Gezi Park protests: the artist Barış Atay, the exiled actor Memet Ali Alabora, the architect Cansu Yapıcı, whose mother is in prison, the cartoonist and editor of the satirical magazine LeMan, Tuncay Akgün, and Sinem Sakaoğlu, a friend and colleague of imprisoned filmmaker Çiğdem Mater. To this day, the consequences of their participation in the protests overshadow their lives. They are unable to practice their professions, have been forced into exile or were sentenced to years in prison.

What are their hopes for the future and for their country?

00:00 intro
01:46 What happened at Gezi Park? - The start of the protests
05:11 Artists and their Fight for Freedom
08:08 How the protests were dispersed
11:49 How Erdogan and the State oppresses voices of Opposition
15:25 Censorship of arts and opinions
21:26 How artists still find ways of expression
25:25 Conclusion


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