‘It is Not a Crime to Say “We Don’t Pay”’

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We Don't Pay (Ödemiyoruz) Movement has released a statement about the police operation launched into the tweets posted under the hashtag #ÖdemeYapmıyoruz (We don't pay). "Instead of seeking a remedy for the problems of the poor overwhelmed with debts, the government is chasing after the ones who tweet," the statement has read.

CLICK - Law Apprentice to be Held in Custody for 3 Days Over 'We Don't Pay' Tweets

Having tweeted "Capitalism is more dangerous than corona! We don't pay," law apprentice Yağız Timoçin was detained by the police, who came to his house with three police cars and one armored police vehicle. Timoçin's period of detention has been extended for three days.

'Indebting people is the real crime'

We Don't Pay Movement has made the following statement:

"Sharing thousands of messages, we have raised the voices of millions who say 'We don't pay.' Now, the ones who do not take any measures about the living conditions of the poor have been disturbed by this voice and launched an investigation into some of these posts.

"Saying 'We don't pay' is the result of dismissals, minimum wage, unpaid leaves and inability to make ends meet. Leaving people desperate in the face of debts they cannot pay is the real crime. The real crime is to distribute the right of the poor to the owners and bosses of a few companies.

"We Don't Pay Movement is the cry of millions of people, it is their ways of solidarity and their matter of struggle. And, the most important of all, it is the reality of millions of poor people.

"Instead of seeking a remedy for the problems of the poor overwhelmed with debts, the government is chasing after the ones who tweet.

"Neither the failure to pay the debts, nor the expression of one's wish to not pay them constitutes a crime under the Turkish Penal Code and, therefore, neither of them foresees any penal sanctions.

"The responsibility that will arise following non-payment according to the private law is already on the shoulders of the people with 7 thousand debt enforcement files being opened on a daily basis. Inability to pay debts and expression of this inability is the reality of the people.

"We do not accept that huge debts, along with unemployment and disease, will be the poor's share during this outbreak.

"The time spent for investigations must be allocated to find a solution to the cry of 'We Don't Pay Movement.' End unjust and arbitrary investigations immediately! We are the millions who don't pay and will continue expressing this reality louder." (AS/SD)