CHP in court over theater regulations

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

CHP’s Istanbul Provincial Chairman Oğuz Kaan Salıcı gives a press statement in front of the Administrative Court. AA photo

The Republican People’s Party (CHP) group members of the Istanbul City Council yesterday filed a suit at the Istanbul Administrative Court to delay the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s imposition of new regulations governing the artistic management of the Istanbul City Theaters. Council members Tuncer Özyavuz and Fahrettin Kayhan delivered the complaint via their lawyer Songül Sune Beğenmiş.

Özyavuz and Kayhan claimed in the complaint that the only aim of the new regulations was to turn an institution that has been an art organization in the past into a branch office [of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)] and to eradicate the freedom of art, which is constitutionally guaranteed.

The CHP’s Istanbul Provincial Chairman Oğuz Kaan Salıcı gave a press statement in front of the Administrative Court. He said that it was not enough to bring the issue to court, and added, “We ask our all artist friends and citizens who are involved the issue to file a suit again the decision.” He said the current regulations pave the way for a system under which tenders would be offered to the purchase of the rights to perform foreign plays. “This is meant to prevent their allocation to the city theaters. It will end state support for the arts.”