Thousands of Evrensel readers came together at a festival in İstanbul against the cancellation of our newspaper's right to publish official advertisements by the Press Advertisement Agency (BİK). Workers, labourers, young people and women from various districts of İstanbul came to the festival and chanted "Evrensel cannot be silenced, the censors will go, we will stay".
Banners reading "Evrensel is strong with you", "We are strong with Evrensel", "No to censorship", "Evrensel will not be silenced", "The unity of workers will defeat capital", "We will win an independent, democratic country and a humane life together, the peoples will win", "We do not accept rentsal transformation" and "Peace" in various languages were hung in the hall. Our readers frequently chanted slogans such as "Free press cannot be silenced" and "The working class is strong with its press" as they entered the festival venue.
The festival began with a cinevision showing the place of Evrensel in the struggles of workers, women, youth and life defenders.
Seyit Aslan, DİSK Executive Board Member and General President of Gıda-İş, took the floor on behalf of the Festival Committee. Drawing attention to the government's efforts to silence our newspaper through BİK, Aslan said, "Your tyranny and oppression will not be enough for Evrensel. We will overcome these difficulties together, because Evrensel is the newspaper of the working class, the newspaper of those in favour of democracy, the newspaper of women and youth. It is the newspaper of people who have been subjected to injustice and unlawfulness, who are trying to protect their environment and nature, who are fighting against urban transformation, and who do not care where they vote. You will never be able to prevent this newspaper. As long as Evrensel draws its strength from the working class, the people and the labourers, Evrensel cannot and will not be silenced."
Stating that Evrensel is the sweat of the brow of workers and labourers, Aslan said, "They will see that we are stronger when we are together. For this reason, Evrensel must enter the homes of all workers and labourers. It is time to buy an Evrensel every day, to make a person read Evrensel every day."
Fatih Polat, Editor-in-Chief of our newspaper, started his speech by commemorating the names of those who laboured for Evrensel from the first day until today and who are not with us today. Underlining that Turkey is going through one of the most problematic periods in terms of freedom of the press, Polat said, "With the new disinformation law, internet websites have been put under more censorship pressure than yesterday, adding to the pressures on newspapers and TV channels by the Press Advertisement Agency and RTÜK. Journalists who follow the news on the street often face police violence. Recently, 25 more journalists have been added to our imprisoned colleagues." Polat said that despite all the pressures, there is a tradition of journalism, of which our newspaper is a part, that does not compromise the right of the public to receive news and sent greetings to the imprisoned journalists and those who continue this tradition.
Polat emphasised that 'Evrensel cannot be silenced' in the face of all obstacles against our newspaper since its first day of publication and said, "The governments that tried this before became history without succeeding. AKP will also learn. We once again call on the Press Advertisement Agency, which cancelled our right to official advertisements for political reasons, to give up this unlawful act. The solidarity of our readers gives us strength. The increase in the number of our subscribers after the cancellation of our right to advertisement is an important response to those who want to suffocate Evrensel with a financial siege. We need the continuity of this solidarity. We wish to report the news of a free Turkey where children do not go to bed hungry."
After Polat's speech, thousands of people raised their newspapers in the air and chanted "Censors will go, we will stay".
The messages of former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, TTB President and writer Şebnem Korur Fincancı, and Gezi prisoners Mücella Yapıcı, Çiğdem Mater, Mine Özerden, Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman and Hakan Altınay were also read during the festival.
In the message of the Istanbul Trade Union Branches Platform, it was stated that "We express once again that we stand by Evrensel under all circumstances in the name of class solidarity".
During the festival, the women who resisted for the Istanbul Convention, the struggles of Boğaziçi students and academics, and those who lost their lives in the 10 October Ankara Massacre were not forgotten.
A video message sent by those taking part in the ongoing resistance in Iran in solidarity with our newspaper was also broadcast at the festival: The Iranian regime is doing everything to suppress the resistance. From shooting people in the streets to attacks on primary schools. Of course the media is restricted. We are trying to be the voice of our people inside and outside the country. Our international solidarity against the repressive regime is of great importance. Free press and the right to information are important for all peoples. Thank goodness you have Evrensel.
The musicians who performed at the event and thousands of people who attended the festival sang melodies from all over the country in unison.
In addition to the concerts, book stands opened by publishing houses also took place. Participants showed great interest in discounted books. Writers and poets signed their books.
There were also exhibitions of paintings by Iranian painter Termeh Yaghoubi, a selection of Evrensel's headlines from 27 years and cartoons by Sefer Selvi. (EVRENSEL DAILY)
Nuray Sancar
Yusuf Karadaş
Aydin Çubukçu