FIA stands in solidarity with Levent Üzümcü after his unfair dismissal from the Municipal Theatre of Istanbul

At the end of August 2015, Levent Üzümcü, well-know Turkish actor and member of the Actors’ Union of Turkey, one of FIA Turkish members, faced – like others before him – the censorship of the Turkish government. Mr Üzümcü, actor in the Municipal Theatre of Istanbul and Chairman of the Association of Actors of the Municipal Theatre of Istanbul (AAMTI), was dismissed from his function as an artist working under the regulation of state officials on the grounds that “his actions during Gezi Park protest and his several speeches, interviews and statements in the written and visual media about High Level State Officials has exceeded the limits of the right for freedom of speech”.

FIA is outraged by this denial of freedom of expression and artistic freedom and very concerned about the attitude of the Turkish government toward performers. The Federation strongly supports Levent Üzümcü and its member in Turkey and calls the Disciplinary Committee of Istanbul Municipality to review its judgement in order to reinstate Mr. Levent Üzümcü in his previous functions.

You can download: 

• Public statement by the Association of Actors of the Municipal Theater of Istanbul
• Letter from FIA to the Turkish authorities