Media authority fines TELE 1 TV for 'praising terrorism' over ad with yellow-green-red scarf

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The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has imposed an administrative monetary penalty on TELE 1 TV for broadcasting a commercial film of Evrensel newspaper.

The film marking the 25th year of the newspaper features a girl holding a scarf colored red, yellow and green. With the girl, a text that reads, "The voice of those who want to live together in fraternity" appears.

The RTÜK announced that it fined the broadcaster for "praising, encouraging terrorism and depicting terrorist organizations as powerful or right."

Both TELE 1 and Evrensel are known for their critical stance against the government.

Although the three colors are associated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), several Kurdish political entities in the region, including legal political parties in Turkey, use these colors in their logos.

Also, a man in southeast Turkey was acquitted of terrorism charges in 2018 in the trial for hanging a red-yellow-green scarf on his car's window.

(HA/VK)