Evrensel’s right to advertise was suspended by the Press Advertising Agency (BİK) on September 18, 2019. The newspaper has faced a ban on advertisement for over 500 days.
Not content with this, BİK also imposed a fine of 25 days in 2019, 65 days in 2020, 3 days in the first month of 2021 - a total of 93 days - claiming that the paper violated the “Press Ethics Principles.”
The excuses given for these penalties have reached ridiculous lengths. Evrensel was given a 3-day ban on advertisement for reporting that Cumhuriyet newspaper correspondents were summoned to testify in court because of their articles about the residence of Fahrettin Altun, the head of the presidency’s communication group.
Considering the absurdity of the penalties given, it is obvious that there is no other purpose than simply to try to silence Evrensel.
There has been an outpour of meaningful solidarity posts online from readers against the penalties by BİK.
The sentencing of Evrensel, which is not under the control of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and broadcasts following the principles of true information and universal press, to a total of 93 days advertising ban led readers to embrace the newspaper even more.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), and many other CHP MPs from İzmir and Eskişehir showed solidarity by placing advertisements.
But the strongest support for the newspaper came from the workers.
In addition to the workers of the companies Simfer, Kumtel, Erbosan Boru, Dener Makine, ODS Döküm Kayseri, members of the Tum Bel-Sen (union of all municipality civil servants) and Eğitim-Sen (education union) Istanbul Branch also placed solidarity advertisements.
And textile workers from Boyteks, Aydınlar Tekstil, Şirikçioğlu Tekstil and Almar Tekstil made a statement in solidarity with Evrensel. The workers defend Evrensel by saying: “We condemn the oppression of Evrensel, the newspaper of the working class, and declare once again that we stand by it”.
Britain-based campaign group Solidarity with the People Of Turkey (SPOT), Turkish and Kurdish Community Solidarity Center (DAY-MR) members from the UK and workers from Germany have also placed solidarity advertisements with Evrensel along with Alevi associations.
Democratic Workers Association Federation (DIDF) and Alevi Unions Federation of Germany (AABF) have also placed solidarity advertisements with Evrensel.
The organisations have promised to continue to support Evrensel and fight for it so that the newspaper, which is the only voice of workers and labourers in Turley, will not be silenced. (EVRENSEL DAILY)
Fatih Polat
İsmail Gökhan Bayram
Nuray Sancar
Yusuf Karadaş