He said, ‘I cannot stay home,’ he has been unemployed for 6 months

Click to read the article in Turkish

Briefly detained for having posted a video where he complained that he could not stay home as recommended by the authorities as he had to work, long-haul truck driver Malik Yılmaz has been dismissed.

Since the video was posted on TikTok and widely shared on social media, 29-year-old Yılmaz has been unemployed for six months. Speaking to bianet, he has said, "I am still looking for a job."

What has he gone through in this process?

Yılmaz has recounted it in following words: "All my payments have been delayed, the landlady has not been getting the rent for three months. I need to pay them all this month. We try not to use electricity and water. We are constantly going to our father's house to avoid expenses..."

He could not pass security investigation

Malik Yılmaz was going to start working at the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality. However, he had to pass the security investigation so that he would be considered eligible. As an investigation had been launched against him over the video, it was not possible for him to work there:

"Around 4-5 years ago, we had a fight with our friends amongst ourselves. A lawsuit was filed back then. In that lawsuit, the court deferred the announcement of the verdict and handed down a ruling of supervised release for five years. According to this verdict, I should not commit another crime for a period of five years.

"However, as an investigation was launched due to the video, I was considered to have commited a crime, the verdict in the previous trial was reversed and that lawsuit has been filed again."

The investigation has ended in a decision of non-prosecution; however, as the previous lawsuit has been filed again, he could not pass the security investigation and, thus, could not start working:

"I applied to the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality, I submitted my documents for the security investigation. 90 days later, the documents were returned to me, it was said, 'The investigation has not been finalized as he has an ongoing trial.' And it is not possible for me to start working at the municipality without passing that security investigation. The first hearing of the other lawsuit will be held in November; but it will last for months and I cannot start working in a public institution before that trial is finalized."

What happened?

After 29-year-old Yılmaz posted a video of himself saying, "It is not the virus that will kill me, but your system will" on his TikTok account, the video was widely shared on social media. Shortly afterwards, Yılmaz was taken into custody. He was released on probation later on.

Speaking to bianet at that time, he said:

"There are attachment proceedings against me, including for my debts to Credit and Dormitories (KYK) from university. There is an attachment even on my salary. I can hardly pay my rent and I am going through worse now.

"That was how our situation was, I also had to leave university to work. I studied Office Management at Kırıkhan Vocational School of Higher Education, but I had to drop out due to economic conditions. My wife is receiving distance education on public relations to help with our economic hardships. Her all grades are AA, she receives high honors."

As to why he shared the video, he said: "I have never taken an active interest in politics, my intention in sharing it was not to revolt. I wanted them to remember the poor and wanted to express that our hands were tied."

What did Malik Yılmaz say?

"I am not a pensioner, public officer or rich. I am a worker, I am a long-haul truck driver. There is no bread if I do not work. It does not make any difference if I die with your word or due to the virus. But, this virus will not kill me, this system of yours will kill me."

TIR şoförü Malik Baran Yılmaz, 'Evde kal Türkiye ama nasıl kal' diye çektiği videoda evde kal denmesi için önce düzenin değişmesi gerektiğini belirtiyor... pic.twitter.com/XvHiRESuHb

— İSİG Meclisi (@isigmeclisi) March 28, 2020

(AS/SD)