“The second anniversary of Armenian singer Aram Tigran’s death on Aug. 8 will be commemorated with two events in the capital Ankara and the southeastern province of Diyarbakır in the coming days,” Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review reports. “Tigran, who was best known for his songs in Kurdish, had requested in his will that his body be buried in Diyarbakır but was denied permission on the grounds that he was not a Turkish citizen.

“The first event will be staged at the Ankara Yapı Art Center on Mithatpaşa Avenue at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, while the second event will be held in Diyarbakır on Oct. 15, the source reads.

“Aram is the voice of the freedom of peoples. With his voice and his instrument, he is the breath of the oppressed and bitter peoples of the Middle East,” Sait Cetinoglu, one of the events’ organizers said. “Many people who are not Turkish citizens can be buried on this land through a Cabinet decision. [Tigran’s] will should have been respected and followed through, but his burial on this land was prevented because of Aram’s Armenian identity. We intend to bring Aram’s will back into the public agenda through these commemoration ceremonies. Even if we cannot yet bring his body [back] to this land, we are bringing his voice and breath [here.] We expect [to see] everyone who believes in the brotherhood of peoples at this event, regardless of whatever their religion, language or race might be,” Cetinoglu noted.

“He had given voice to the freedom of peoples in all languages spoken in the Middle East and conveyed their emotions,” Cetinoglu said, adding that Tigran’s music was extremely diverse, as he had composed and sung songs in nearly every language.

“Aram was born in the city of Kamisli in Syria, a city densely populated by Kurds. As such nothing could have been more natural [for him] than to lend a voice to the emotions of the people he lived amongst in their own tongue,” Cetinoglu said.