This is not comedy, it is reality

The investigation launched by Istanbul’s Bakırköy Chief Prosecutor’s Office about Doğan Media Group, to be conducted by the anti-terror prosecutor is based on a bunch of stories printed on one of the pieces of rags belonging to a pro-government media group. 

This piece of rag has been publishing stories of similar content for almost six months. It made photomontages of Aydın Doğan’s pictures. One day it showed him as a member of the illegal Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C); another day he was the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). 

Aydın Doğan’s lawyers filed accusations on charges of insult and slander for their publications dated April 3, 4 and 6. The Office of the Chief Prosecutor of Bakırköy assessed the claims and prepared an indictment. 

The indictment prepared was accepted by the court, a case was opened and trials began at Bakırköy’s 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. 

Thus, a very interesting legal situation has occurred. 

The publications that were the basis of the offences (“a sequence of insults in verbal, written or visual messages, and slander through press”) in a case opened by the Office of the Chief Prosecutor of Bakırköy, now, this time, are accepted as a tipoff for an investigation launched by the same office. 

“Sequence of slanders and insults” turned into a “tipoff worthy of investigating” overnight.

This should be what is called “legal alchemy.” It is a puzzle. 

There is only one answer: The “organization” that wants to form a “one-man” regime in the country wants to punish, silence and intimidate any voice of the opposition. 

Roads to an authoritarian regime pass through the intimidation of everyone, that’s why.

With the contribution of the Supreme Board of Prosecutors and Judges (HSYK), which is under their control, they put pressure on prosecutors. 

This is the reason an investigation has been opened against the Doğan Media Group. 

It is not up to the governor 

The National Movement Party’s (MHP) provincial organization in the Central Anatolian town of Sivas has hung a banner reading, “In order to finish terror, not 400 deputies, only 400 days are enough.”

Upon this, the Office of the Governor of Sivas, with the Deputy Governor’s signature, wrote a letter to the MHP provincial chair, asking for the removal of the banner. 

According to the constitution, political parties are defined as “indispensable components of our democratic life.” 

Also, article 3 of the political party law grants the right to make “open propaganda” of political parties. 

Hanging banners at provincial or district buildings of political parties are under this scope of “open propaganda.” This right cannot be obstructed by an administrative decision. 

If the activities of political parties are to be obstructed by administrative decisions especially in a period leading to elections, then this means we cannot talk about free political activities from now on. 

While parties are conducting their election campaigns, they do not have to say things and hang banners that governors and district governors like.

What was written on the above mentioned banner was not against public morality and it was not abetting. Even if it were, it was not up to the office of the governor to order the banner to be taken down. 

We have an independent justice for this. Supreme Court of Appeals Prosecutor’s Office controls the activities of political parties and if it detects a crime, it opens a case. 

But apparently, the office of governors and district governors that have started to act like the government feel authorized to interfere in propaganda material that the ruling party might not like. 

This is an arbitrary treatment and arbitrariness cannot be accepted in rule of law.