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Turkey’s martyrs’ foundation rejects donation from famous rapper, citing political views

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A donation made by internationally renowned Turkish rapper Ezhel to the Turkish Veterans and Relatives of Martyrs Foundation (TÜGŞAV) has been rejected on political grounds, the Sözcü daily reported.

Ezhel, 34, whose real name is Ömer Sercan İpekçioğlu, announced on social media on Sunday that he had donated the damages he won from a defamation lawsuit to TÜGŞAV.

However, the foundation issued a statement on X the same day refusing the donation and accusing Ezhel of previously expressing support for “separatist terrorist organizations,” a label often used by Turkish authorities to discredit dissenting voices to mean that they support the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, has been waging a bloody war in Turkey’s southeast since 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far.

“We do not accept donations or assistance from anyone known for statements supporting separatist terror groups or who is banned from entering the Republic of Turkey,” TÜGŞAV said in a written statement. “The amount transferred to our account will be refunded to the individual by tomorrow morning.”

The foundation added that if Ezhel is ever “cleared of accusations” and allowed to return to Turkey, he could “personally deliver the donation” at that time.

The foundation’s claim that Ezhel is banned from entering Turkey has not been legally confirmed, but the singer has been living in Germany since 2019.

TÜGŞAV posted a bank receipt on Monday showing the return of the donation made by the singer. It blurred the amount of the donation.

Ezhel responded to the rejection politely on Instagram, thanking TÜGŞAV for “their invitation and politeness.”

“All veterans and families of fallen soldiers are invited to my first concert back home,” he wrote.

Critics argue that TÜGŞAV, known to be affiliated with the far-right Nationalist Movement Party and which claims to serve the families of fallen soldiers and veterans, is behaving more like a political actor than a public-interest charity. By rejecting financial support based on political bias, the foundation is seen as alienating parts of Turkish society — including people who support the victims of conflict but oppose the government’s policies.

Ezhel has a large international following and is widely regarded as one of Turkey’s most prominent cultural exports in recent years. His political lyrics and criticism of authoritarianism under the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and support for the end of the decades-long conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state have made him a frequent target of pro-government circles in Turkey and of politically aligned institutions as well.

He attracted widespread condemnation from nationalists when he said in 2023 on social media, “The capital of Kurdistan is Ankara, İstanbul.”

In 2018, he was put in pre-trial detention in İstanbul for one month on accusations of “publicly promoting drug use” in his lyrics. He stood trial the same year and was acquitted of charges that were seen widely as politically motivated.

In June 2019 he was given a suspended sentence of around two years on drug use.

In May 2019 The New York Times named Ezhel one of the 15 most important contemporary European pop performers.

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