The many definitions of justice

Ercan Kızılateş harassed and assaulted university student Melisa Sağlam on July 14 on a dolmuş.
His justification was the fact that the girl was wearing shorts.

When the footage became public, there was a public outcry. We then learned that although she filed a complaint, our judge considered it a simple crime and let the perpetrator go free. 

Just like Al Capone

Because of the public outrage, a judge moved ahead and issued a detention order.

We then saw that Kızılateş, who was set free, was actually being sought for a three-year, nine-month jail term for violating the tax law.

Kızılateş, who was set free for assaulting Melisa Sağlam, was arrested for obstructing the tax law. It’s as if he is Al Capone, who managed to evade the FBI in the 1930s despite all the crimes he committed, but was only arrested due to tax violations.

It’s just like the song by the late Ahmet Kaya: “From whichever angle you look, it’s inconsistent.”

First of all, the country witnessed a similar incident on Sept. 18, 2016, when Abdullah Çakıroğlu assaulted Ayşegül Terzi, again for wearing shorts. That day, too, security officials and justice remained indifferent and the perpetrator was released. That time, too, the judiciary had only acted after public outcry and asked the perpetrator to be detained as the images on social media that day had created a storm of controversy.

Çakıroğlu was arrested, only to be released at his first appearance in court. There was again a public outcry and he was again arrested. 

Take out the names; when there is such a similar precedent, why do we keep seeing the same movie? There is only one explanation: members of the judiciary do not read previous rulings and don’t watch TV or read newspapers. 

We have a system called UYAP, the national justice network project which we set up by spending millions and which we are presenting as our national pride. We also have the GBT, the general information gathering network. Plus we are under a state of emergency. 

How can this guy go unnoticed? Either there is a problem with the UYAP or GBT or security officials are not doing their job properly. 

Kılıçdaroğlu’s march

The most important benefit of the justice march by opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is the fact that it has revealed that justice is being sought by everyone in this country.

In order for us to feel that we live in a country of justice, the decisions of the judiciary need to be accepted by the conscience of the public. But those decisions need to be taken first in accordance with the principle of equality without taking into consideration the identity of the suspect or the victim. 

Meanwhile, look at this sentence: “Why hide those dishonorable people under the disguise of a parliamentarian inside the parliament?”

If this was said to you, wouldn’t you go to the judiciary to file a compensation case? 

According to the court, even if it is disturbing, it is not against the law, “so there is no need for a sentence.”

I just said the result of the court ruling; you can guess who opened the case and against whom – as well as what would have happened had the roles been reversed.