100 Turkish Artists Express Grave Concern with Polarization

100 Turkish artists and intellectuals have issued a message of concern regarding heightened tensions in the country following weeks of anti-government protests.

In particular, they have expressed worry about the division in the country between those who support the government of longtime PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and those who rally out against it.

The message has been published Saturday in a number of mainstream Turkish newspapers Saturday signed by artists from different political orientations.

The message strongly warns against "anger and hate", which the drafters see as growing in Turkish society.

"The repetition of the position "We and you" onnly exacerbates social polarization," add the artists.

"We demand the end of hate speech to prevent it causing new victims, that artists and artworks do not become targets, and that the pressure exerted on society be lifted," calls the statement.

The full list of signees: Ya?ar Kemal, Z?lf? Livaneli, Ara G?ler, Orhan Pamuk, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Faz?l Say, Ferzan ?zpetek, Murathan Mungan, Ay?e Kulin, S?rr? S?reyya ?nder, Halit K?van?, Tar?k Akan, Elif ?afak, Emrah Serbes, Haldun Dormen, Filiz-Fikret Otyam, Ahmet ?mit, Halit Ergen?, Rutkay Aziz, ?etin Tekindor, Okan Bay?lgen, Serra Y?lmaz, Volkan Konak, Ayfer Tun?, Nebil ?zgent?rk, Yavuz Bing?l, Sunay Ak?n, Haluk Bilginer, Can D?ndar, Erdal Be?ik?io?lu, Ataol Behramo?lu, Cahit Berkay, Levent ?z?mc?, Devrim Erbil, Sel?uk Y?ntem, Vedat Sakman, Erol Demir?z, Mustafa Alabora, Zeynep Oral, G?rer Aykal, Latife Tekin, Halil Erg?n, Ece Temelkuran, Derya K?ro?lu, M?ge ?plik?i, Edip Akbayram, Cihan ?nal, M?jde Ar, Ferhan ?ensoy, Leyla Erbil, Onur Ak?n, Ahmet Telli, Bejan Matur, Metin ?st?nda?, Y?lmaz Odaba??, Zeki Alasya, Mehmet Aksoy, Ahmet Say, M?jdat Gezen, Demet Akba?, Y?ksel Aksu, Ferhan-Ferzan ?nder, G?lsin Onay, Leman Sam, Musa Kart, K?r?at Ba?ar, Ahmet G?ne?tekin, Menderes Samanc?lar, Sermiyan Midyat, Ercan Kesal, Bulutsuzluk ?zlemi, ?mer Faruk Sorak, Musa Ero?lu, Osman ?ahin, Harun Tekin, Karde? T?rk?ler (BGST), Kudsi Erg?ner, Duman, Bedri Koraman, Nejat ??ler, ?dil Biret.

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