Syrian musician Omar Souleyman’s İstanbul concert scheduled for July 15 was canceled after he was denied entry to Turkey, according to organizers.
“We regret to inform you that Omar Souleyman’s concert, scheduled for July 15 at Roxy, cannot take place as planned due to the artist’s visa not being approved in time,” Roxy, the live music venue where Souleyman was due to perform, said on Instagram.
“We are working to announce a new date as soon as possible and hope to welcome Omar Souleyman back to İstanbul very soon,” it added.
The independent Bianet news website reported Tuesday that organizers had said Souleyman was not permitted to enter Turkey. A message sent to ticket holders, however, referred more generally to “problems with the visa process.”
No Turkish official has explained why Souleyman’s visa was not approved or why he was denied entry. Neither the musician nor his representatives had publicly commented as of Tuesday.
The absence of an official explanation, coupled with Souleyman’s previous detention in Turkey over allegations of links to Kurdish militants, has raised questions about whether the visa issue was the actual reason for preventing his entry.
Originally from Syria’s northeastern Hasakah province, Souleyman began his career performing at weddings and distributing recordings of his live appearances.
He later gained international recognition for his blend of Arabic folk and electronic dance music. His 2013 album “Wenu Wenu” attracted widespread attention, and he has worked with artists including Björk, Four Tet and Gorillaz.
Souleyman left Syria following the outbreak of the country’s civil war in 2011 and lived in Turkey for several years. He settled in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, near the Syrian border, where he also ran a bakery.
Turkish security forces detained Souleyman in Şanlıurfa in November 2021 over a “terrorist propaganda” allegation and questioned him about claims that he had links to the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a Syrian Kurdish militia that Turkey views as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
Souleyman, who denied having links to any militant organization, spent approximately 24 hours in police custody before being transferred to a removal center. He was released two days after his detention.