Turkey releases a Syrian singer, then arrests him and releases him again!
The Turkish authorities released again late Friday the Syrian singer Omar Suleiman in southeastern Turkey, after he was arrested for the second time on accusations that he has links with the Kurdistan Workers' Party - the People's Protection Units, according to an AFP photographer.
The photographer stated that Suleiman was released at 10:30 pm (1930 GMT), after a confusing day in which he was released in the morning before being re-arrested.
Suleiman was arrested Wednesday in Sanliurfa, where he ran a bakery after fleeing the war in Syria that began in 2011.
Police questioned Suleiman about reports alleging that he had links to the Kurdish People's Protection Units (
YPG),
which Ankara considers an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which is affiliated with Turkey, the European Union and the states. The United States is a terrorist organization.
Suleiman was accused of "terrorist propaganda", but it was not immediately clear whether any official charges had been brought against him despite his release.
He returned to his home in Karakobro, where his family and loved ones were waiting for him.
After arriving at his home, the photographer quoted him as saying, “I love Turkey.
The Europeans offered me asylum, but I love this country and I want to stay here.”
Earlier, his lawyer said that the singer was returned to the detention center because the confirmation issued by the Ministry of Interior of his release did not reach the local authorities.
Lawyer Rashid Tuna said, "The police decided to release him and announced this to the family, but they need confirmation from the Ministry of the Interior, he did not arrive."
His manager confirmed this to AFP.
Suleiman was transferred Thursday to a shelter used as a detention center for people to be expelled from Turkish territory, after he was held for 24 hours in the police station in the city of Sanliurfa, located about fifty kilometers from the Syrian border.
The singer gained international fame by combining traditional and electronic Syrian music.
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