Dabke icon Omar Souleyman is being brought up to the bar for some serious allegations as he is currently being detained by Turkish authorities following charges related to terrorism. According to a statement given by his son to a Syrian news outlet, the famed singer was taken into custody after having had his domicile thoroughly searched by relevant government bodies and is yet to have been released.
Under the spotlight for having a supposed membership to the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK), these claims are being denied by the DJ’s close entourage and representatives as they have declared that the case is the sole result of a “malicious report” given that the 55-year-old artist, whose real name is Omar Almasikh, carries no political affiliation of any kind.
These kinds of arrests are far from being unheard of in Turkey as thousands before Souleyman have been jailed following Erdogan’s unprecedented crackdown on the PKK and its sympathisers. Ankara believes that the party is the one to have orchestrated the coup attempt back in 2016.
From his native Syria to the world, the now global crooner can be recognised for his black Rayban-like glasses, Red keffiyeh and lovable character rather for any potential bias towards terrorism but we’ll have to wait until the situation settles to speak any further.
