Musician Mehmet Lider Doğan, nicknamed Murda, was sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison for the charge of “encouraging the use of drugs” with the claim that his music encouraged drug use. The lawyer of the musician, Ümit Gürkal Judge, stated that they will appeal the decision.
The third hearing held at the Istanbul 53rd Criminal Court of First Instance was attended by Mehmet Chairman Doğan, while his lawyer was present. In his opinion on the foundation, the prosecutor of the trial was told that the defendant admitted that the music in the indictment belonged to him, and that there were words encouraging smoking marijuana in their music titled Duman, Kıymetli and Eh Baba. He was imprisoned from 6 years, 2 months to 17 years and 6 months for the crime of “encouraging the use of drugs” in a chain, stating that the accused Doğan’s Youtube channel has a high following, and his clips are watched and liked by a large number of people and that he is openly encouraged to use drugs by reaching out to a large number of people. demanded punishment.
ATTORNEY REQUESTED THE ACQUISITION
Lawyer Ümit Gürkal Hümran stated that they did not agree with the opinion and said:
“My client has two pieces of music called Duman. The Duman music spoken in the indictment was not published on YouTube. It was also removed from its own channel. However, at the time it was shared, it could not be technically objectionable to be copied and broadcast by third parties. The music in question was also not performed in any of his concerts. The music in question was not licensed music and was anonymous at that time. it is the music that he shares around his wife, friend, because he is not famous.Although the mistake is committed with general intent, it should be evaluated within the scope of intellectual art and freedom of thought, in cases where it is not acted with the intention of committing a crime in accordance with the Articles 26-27 of the Constitution and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The legal elements of the misdemeanor attributed to my client are not formed. is gone. Therefore, we demand a verdict of acquittal.”
ÂLÂ HALLE PRISONED FOR 4 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS
. Considering the behavior of the accused Mehmet Mayor Doğan during the trial process, the court reduced the sentence to 4 years and 2 months in prison by applying a discretionary reduction. In the statement he gave to the prosecutor’s office, “I have two pieces of music called ‘Duman’. My music called ‘Duman’, which I sing in Turkey, is not my music that is blamed. ‘Expensive’ and ‘Eh Baba’ music is mine too. I grew up in the Netherlands. I grew up with the culture of that place. There, the use of these matters is free. That’s why I didn’t think it was that way here. Rap music is close to street jargon. There is a very subtle nuance in the middle. It was not said to incite anyone to crime,” he said.
LAWYER: WE WILL HAVE OBJECTIONS
Murda’s lawyer Ümit Gürkal Judge, upon the questions of the press at the exit of the hearing, ” We said that the Constitution should be valued within the scope of artistic and freedom of speech, according to the 26th, 27th, and 10th Elements of the European Convention on Human Rights. My client has never acted here to encourage anyone to adopt a random bad habit, no matter what the name is, to show that it is good. In fact, no artist can have such a movement. We think there is a difference of interpretation. We will appeal the decision, we will have objections. We will see the result when the upper court evaluates it.”
Lawyer Hümran said, “After the indictment was issued, a travel ban was issued. As you know, my client is a Dutch citizen. He is not a Turkish citizen, he does not have a residence here. After the indictment was evaluated, we demanded that the foreign travel ban be lifted. Our request was accepted. For this, he was excluded from the hearings. That’s why he wasn’t here today. He will continue his concerts. I spoke to him a while ago. They have concerts in Turkey in the summer, we have full assurance to justice. We will follow the legal process,” he said. Stating that his client is a good family man, the lawyer Judge said, “You can see this from his posts. Randomly he doesn’t have a lousy habit. A person in sight, a person who strives to set an example for all young people and society. It is customary that there are some pronunciations in music. This is not just about my client. This and similar things happen in all cinemas, serials, all works of art. We do not believe or think that any artist has an intention to mislead people, and we know them as much as we know them.”
CLAIM
In the indictment, Mehmet Lider, known as the Dutch musician Murda It was claimed that some phrases in Doğan’s music titled “Smoke”, “Expensive” and “Eh Baba” encouraged the use of drugs or stimulants. He was asked to be imprisoned from 5 to 10 years for the mistake of “encouraging”. Musician Doğan denied the accusations by going to the hearing in the middle session, and his foreign travel ban was lifted upon his request.
