The Kurdish-language play “Bêrû’’ was included in the October programme of the İstanbul Municipality City Theatre in Turkey. Due to be staged by Teatra Jiyana Nû (New Life Theatre), it was banned on the grounds that it could “disturb the general public order”.

Teatra Jiyana Nû (New Life Theatre) was formed in 1992 by a group of Kurdish theatrical actors who had begun working together a year earlier at the Mesopotamia Cultural Centre (MKM) in İstanbul.

The governor banned the Kurdish-language play which would have been the first of its kind that had been performed at İstanbul’s Municipality City Theatre during its 106-year history. The decision was announced by the local administration and the theatre was only informed about the ban hours before the play was due to be performed.