Birkan BULUT
Ankara
Penalties have been issued by the Radio and Television Supreme Council against Fox TV speaker Fatih Portakal’s programme and the People’s Arena programme hosting actors Metin Akpınar and Müjdat Gezen on Halk TV, following they're targeted by President Erdoğan. A five-programme suspension was imposed on Halk TV for “inciting society to hatred and enmity through giving consideration to racial, linguistic, religious, sexual, class, regional and sectarian differences,” and a three-programme suspension on FOX TV. A television station that attracts this penalty for a second time in a year faces closure.
The regulator moved into action following an application President Erdoğan made through his lawyer. The regulatory body’s experts examined the main news bulletin broadcast by Fatih Portakal and the television programme on which veteran actors Metin Akpınar and Müjdat Gezen spoke about Erdoğan.
In the report they submitted three days later, the experts who had examined the People’s Arena with Uğur Dündar programme broadcast on 21 December on Halk TV argued that Müjdat Gezen's words, “He rebukes everyone, he waves a finger at everyone and tells everyone to where to get off. Well, brother, take a look at something like this, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, you cannot question my patriotism, this is where you get off” exceeded the bounds of criticism.
The experts also alleged that Metin Akpınar, with his words, “And I think that the sole remedy to enable us to escape this polarization is also democracy. If we can make it there, it will be fine and there will be no quarrelling and we will sort this business out. If we can’t, just like all versions of fascism, maybe they will hang up the leader from his feet, maybe he will die of poisoning in dungeons,” was attempting to sow feelings of hatred in society.
The report asserted that, for these reasons, the principles that “society may not be incited to hatred and enmity or feelings of hatred may not be sown in society through giving consideration to racial, linguistic, religious, sexual, class, regional and sectarian differences” and broadcasts “may not be contrary to the principle of respecting human honour and the inviolability of private life and may not contain statements of a demeaning, derogatory or insulting nature exceeding the bounds of criticising people or entities” had been breached.
In another report compiled by the regulatory body experts, Fatih Portakal's words, “Come on, how about we protest against the hikes in a peaceful action? The natural gas price hikes. Come on, let’s go. Can we do so? How many people will come onto the street given the fears and worries? ‘What if I get beaten up?’ and so on. ‘I’ll seek my rights but what can I do, suppose I get into trouble?’ How many people will come out? Will you tell me for heaven’s sake? This is precisely how they are trying to quell and subdue social opposition, individual and social opposition. It is the most basic of rights but, unfortunately, it cannot be exercised. Be it France, be it Turkey, it doesn’t make much difference, frankly” were deemed to have violated the principles “must be based on the principles of impartiality, truthfulness and accuracy and must not hinder the free formation of opinion in society.”
However, Radio and Television Supreme Council Deputy Chair İlker Ilgın did not think this went far enough and argued that Portakal’s words violated the principle in the Radio and Television Supreme Council Statute, “Society may not be incited to hatred and enmity or feelings of hatred may not be sown in society through giving consideration to racial, linguistic, religious, sexual, class, regional and sectarian differences.”
Following the experts’ report, the regulator convened today to discuss the matter. The meeting resulted in a five-programme suspension for Halk TV and a three-programme suspension for Fox TV on the grounds that they had violated the principle, “Society may not be incited to hatred and enmity or feelings of hatred may not be sown in society through giving consideration to racial, linguistic, religious, sexual, class, regional and sectarian differences” in sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph one of Article 8 of the Radio and Television Supreme Council Statute. If they are penalized under the same article within one year of the promulgation of the decision, Fox TV and Halk TV will be closed.
The CHP members on the regulatory body voiced dismay at the decision. Radio and Television Supreme Council member İsmet Demirdöğen said that even the most innocent of comments were branded crimes if singled out by certain milieus. Noting that the Radio and Television Supreme Council was being used as a cog of the power holders’ silencing mechanism, Demirdöğen said, “Sadly the Radio and Television Supreme Council has been turned into an executive authority for people and entities targeted by one group. People who lack perception of humour and irony should at least not fear those who have ideas to express.”
With regard to the decision passed on Metin Akpınar and Müjdat Gezen, Radio and Television Supreme Council member İlhan Taşçı commented, “The speed with which the Radio and Television Supreme Council moved into action and imposed a punitive decision following the President’s gesture is frankly eye-watering. It is apparent that the stint of duty passed to the Radio and Television Supreme Council and it performed its duty. I expect the same speed from the Radio and Television Supreme Council, which was capable of issuing a report and passing judgment so quickly, regarding the television broadcasts in which this country’s founder Atatürk was branded the “last hole on the horn.” I imagine the pronouncements of those who speak of making rivers of blood flow and cutting throats will be deemed freedom of thought in a place where Metin Akpınar’s remarks in which he spoke of the value of cherishing peace and democracy are penalized.”
However, the regulator has not displayed the same speed in matters that the President has not brought up. Taceddin Kutay, appearing on the Essential Matter programme presented by Ersoy Dede on the station using the logo 24 on 9 November, said of CHP Istanbul MP Ali Şeker, “He is putting on a show, the *******.” In response, Şeker complained to the Radio and Television Supreme Council on 23 November. However, no report has yet been compiled into Kutay.
Translated by Tim Drayton
Hediye Levent
Yusuf Karadaş
Yücel Özdemir