Turkish president decries 'witch hunt' against Russian artists
Russian businesses and artists in the West have faced a backlash over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Syrian refugees in Turkey have also faced politically motivated violence.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today criticized hatred against Russians, including artists, in relation to the war in Ukraine.
“Just as we would not abandon Ukraine, we also do not accept actions akin to a witch-hunt against the Russian people, literature, students or artists,” said Erdogan, as reported by the official Anadolu Agency.
Russian businesses and artists in Europe and the United States have been subject to cancellation, threats and more since Russia invaded Ukraine. Conductor Valery Gergiev was fired by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra for his silence on the invasion. Gergiev is a known supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian singer Anna Netrebko was also forced to withdraw from the Metropolitan Opera in New York for refusing to repudiate Putin, according to euronews.
Erdogan cited Gergiev’s firing specifically, referring to it as “fascist practices.”
