Career
Şirin was born in his father"s village Yükselen (Hapu) in Alucra district. From 1970 to 1979, he worked as a primary school teacher. Following the 1980 Turkish coup d"état, he moved to Germany where he lived until his return to Turkey in 1991.
He and fellow folk singer İsmail Türüt had been on trial for a song allegedly praising the assassination of Hrant Dink.
Şirin and Türüt were acquitted in December 2009.