Beyto Can, 1955-2023

The Kurdish musician Beyto Can passed away in a hospital in Stockholm on September 12, 2023. He was 68 years old.

He was born Beytullah Güneri in 1955 in the Silvan (Farqîn) district of Diyarbakır.

After the military coup on 12 September 1980, he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He spent 6.5 years in prison, then was released in 1987.

In 1990, he released his first album. In 1991, he emigrated to Sweden. “I didn’t flee my country, they forced me,” he has said. “My friend Ahmet Kaya didn’t flee either, they forced him too. Otherwise, why would anyone flee their country?”

His albums included:
Bîst û Yekê Adarê (March 21)
Axînate nalînamin (Your sigh, my cry),
Te nadin min (They don’t let me have you)
Etûna dilê min (Oven of my heart)

The song “Yan mirin yan Diyarbekir” was banned in Turkey.

He was beloved by fans worldwide for his courage and his artistry.