The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş spoke out in his speech in Hatay’s Samandağ district, Bedircan Conference Hall to Turkey Radio Television Corporation (TRT) General Director İbrahim Şahin who threatened him with cutting the broadcast.
Recalling Şahin’s statement that he would cut the live broadcast if he criticized him or his institution, Demirtaş said that even TRT’s microphone belongs to the public and that he would relieve Şahin of his duty should he be elected president.
Demirtaş: He panicked more than anyone
“He says he’s going to cut the broadcast if I criticize him or his institution again. He says I’m trying to cover my failure by blaming him since I’m sure to lose.
“This is the declaration of a bureaucrat. Even my rival from AKP did not dare say this, but the government’s official, the man who gets his salary out of your taxes and mine, the channel for which money is cut out of every cent we spend and even from our electricity bill makes me this threat.
“(Picking up the microphone) Their microphone is here too, I especially mention this. I hope he’s watching on live broadcast too. Even this microphone was bought with our money. Even this microphone is our property. Do I make myself clear, general director?
“TRT’s general director, you can neither have the capacity, nor the authority, nor the audacity to threaten me. And if you’re cutting the broadcast, go ahead. If you won’t air it, don’t.
“You’ve panicked more than anymore else. You’re right to do so. If I’m elected president, I will relieve you of your duty.”
Şahin had said, "The speech in Aydın was a misfortune"
İbrahim Şahin had said in his declaration earlier this week:
“Our nation is bearing witness to how those who see themselves as already beaten in the race resort to the cunning of creating excuses at our expense. Everybody must carry their own responsibility, and stop producing cheap justifications for their own failures using other people or institutions.
“Demirtaş’s speech in Aydın province is, to put it lightly, a misfortune. From now on, if these heavy accusations targeting TRT on live broadcast continue, we will cut the broadcast.”
What had Demirtaş said in Aydın?
Demirtaş had reminded listeners in his July 26 rally in Aydın province that TRT is a public institution and expressed that TRT General Director Şahin was committing a crime by violating the principle of neutrality.
“TRT is an institution that does public broadcasting, but it’s working like the Prime Minister’s own private channel. If TRT features the PM for 10 hours, it features us for 5 minutes. TRT employees wouldn’t do this great a job broadcasting even if he paid them out of his own pocket.
“TRT General Director is nowhere to be found, he needs to come out and give an explanation. Because he is legally committing a crime. We will bring this to account, there’s justice in religion and in books. Even if you are not brought to account in this world, you will certainly do so in the next one.”
Documentary with İhsanoğlu taken off the air
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) Vice Chairman Sezgin Tanrıkulu also inquired through a parliamentary question to Deputy Prime Minister and Government Spokesman Bülent Arınç why TRT had taken off the air the documentary titled “Zemzem - Zübeyde Su Yolu” [“Zamzam – Zübeyde Waterway”] featuring umbrella candidate Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu.
“This piece came on air the first week of July on TRT, for the month of Ramadan. The documentary contains an interview with now presidential candidate Professor Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu.
“TRT took the documentary titled ‘Holy Water Zamzam – Zübeyde Waterway’ off the air after airing the first episode.
“In this context; is it true that the documentary aired the first week of July has been taken off the air?
“If true, on what grounds?
“How can taking this program, scheduled for broadcast, an episode of which had already been aired, off the air under the justification of ‘broadcast traffic’ be explained to the public?
“Is the reason for taking the documentary off the air the fact that it features İhsanoğlu’s work before his presidential candidacy?
“If this claim is true, do you find this action in compliance with impartial broadcasting?
“If the documentary was taken off the air due to a heavy broadcasting traffic, as stated by TRT Documentary Channel Coordinator Adnan Süer, then are there other such documentaries the TRT took off the air due to heavy broadcasting traffic in the past five years? If yes, which ones?
“What are the punishments the Radio Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has given to TRT in the past year?
“What is the total monetary contribution cut off from citizens within the last 10 years?
“How many warnings has RTÜK given to TRT for partial broadcasting since your party came to office?” (EKN/PU)
* Photograph: İsmihan Özgüven / Anadolu Agency (AA)
* Click here to read the article in Turkish
