İbrahim Gökçek
Born(1980-09-30)30 September 1980
Died7 May 2020(2020-05-07) (aged 39)
Istanbul, Turkey
Resting placeKayseri

İbrahim Gökçek (30 September 1980 – 7 May 2020) was a musician of the Turkish revolutionary band Grup Yorum[1] in which he played the bass guitar.[2][3] He died on 7 May 2020 after a 323-day hunger strike, which he had ended two days before his death.[4]

Gökçek was accused of being a high ranking member of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C)[3] and arrested on 1 May 2019 and charged with "establishing and leading an organisation".[4] In Gökçek's trial the testimony of an anonymous so-called secret witness was used.[3][5] He joined the ongoing hunger strike of other Grup Yorum members in June 2019.[6] The demands of the hunger strikers were that the Turkish government end the suppression of the group, release its members from prison, and allow them to give concerts.[7] On 4 January 2020, he and Helin Bölek turned their hunger strike into a death fast. On 14 January 2020 the prosecution demanded a life sentence for Gökçek.[8] In February 2020 he was released from prison, but he stayed on hunger strike together with Helin Bölek in a house in Küçükarmutlu, Istanbul.[9] On 5 May 2020 he ended his hunger strike and was transferred to a hospital for treatment. He died on 7 May 2020.[10]

The following day, mourners taking part in a ceremony in memory of Gökçek at an Alevi cemevi in the neighbourhood of Sultangazi were halted by the police and dispersed with teargas.[2] The police broke down the gates to the cemevi, detained several members of Grup Yorum, seized the coffin containing Gökçek corpse.[11] He eventually was buried in Kayseri.[12] Members of the ultranationalist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) took to the streets and have threatened to unearth Ibrahim Gökçek and set his body on fire, as they view him as a terrorist. The protests caused the MHP to close the Grey Wolves offices for a while and dismiss its local chairman.[13]

Personal life

He was married to Sultan Gökçek, who is also a member of Grup Yorum and detained in Silivri Prison.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Ibrahim Gökçek of Turkish band Grup Yorum dies after hunger strike". Ahval. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  2. 1 2 McKernan, Bethan (8 May 2020). "Lonely death of Grup Yorum bassist highlights Turkey hunger strikes". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "Secret witness of political cases admits to testimony under duress". Ahval. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 "Grup Yorum Band Member İbrahim Gökçek Loses His Life". Bianet. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  5. ↑ "Joint statement from Speak Up Platform and Freemuse: Remove the bans on Grup Yorum – Susma24". Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  6. ↑ "Political musician on death fast to be released from prison". ANF News. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  7. ↑ Ciosek, Kaja. "Freemuse and P24 concerned about reports of Grup Yorum's members force-feeding". Freemuse. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  8. ↑ "Indictment Against Death Fasting Grup Yorum Member Gökçek". Bianet. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  9. ↑ Ankara, AP in (3 April 2020). "Member of banned Turkish folk group dies after hunger strike". the Guardian. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  10. ↑ "Grup Yorum member İbrahim Gökçek dies two days after ending death fast". www.duvarenglish.com. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  11. ↑ "Turkish authorities disrupt funeral of Grup Yorum hunger striker". Ahval. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  12. ↑ "Grup Yorum üyesi İbrahim Gökçek defnedildi". Gazete Duvar. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  13. ↑ "Turkish ultranationalists preparing to unearth, burn body of left-wing musician". Ahval. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
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