TELE1 TV imposed blackout over remarks on Ottoman sultan in unprecedented decision

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The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has imposed a five-day broadcast suspension ban on TELE1 channel starting from today (September 3).

The Council announced yesterday that it would enforce the penalty after a court verdict of stay of execution was overturned by the higher court.

The penalty was imposed because of TELE1 editor-in-chief Merdan Yanardağ's remarks on Ottoman Empire's Sultan Abdülhamid II, the broadcaster said on its website.

RTÜK Chair Ebubekir Şahin previously stated that the broadcaster was under investigation over Yanardağ's remarks on Abdülhamid II.

He had described the sultan as "a despot who was a despicable dictator serving imperialism, drowned Mithat Pasha in Taif, oppressed all intellectuals who advocated the Ottoman-Turkish enlightenment and modernization, such as Namık Kemal, Tevfik Fikret..."

This was the first time that the RTÜK imposed a blackout penalty against a national broadcaster as part of the current legislation.

İlhan Taşçı, a RTÜK member from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) criticized the decision, saying that the TV channels will be "completely shut down" in the next step. (EKN/VK)