Murda, a Dutch national who is especially popular in Turkey, was sentenced to four years in prison by an Istanbul court for allegedly “encouraging drug use” in his songs.

Mehmet Önder Dogan, a 38-year-old Dutch rapper, has denied any involvement in the offences for which he was charged, and his lawyer, Umit Gurkal Egemen, has announced that they will appeal an “unfair” verdict.

The singer has been accused by Turkish authorities of violating free speech rights with songs like ‘Eh Baba,’ which have over 116 million views on YouTube, despite his defense that he was acting within the bounds of that freedom.

Murda was arrested in an Istanbul airport in October, and his name is already on a list of rappers in Turkey who are known for their lyrics.

People who criticize the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan sometimes get in trouble.

Image Credit: Getty

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