Taraf newspaper writer Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı was sentenced to a monetary fine of TL 14,000 (€ 7,000) in compensation on the grounds of calling Canan Arıtman, Izmir Deputy of the Republican People's Party (CHP) "racist-fascist". The decision of the Kadıköy (Istanbul) Civil Court of First Instance was communicated on Monday (8 November).
Complainant Arıtman commented the decision to the Millyet daily, "Justice has been delivered. Neither I nor anybody else in Izmir deserve that insult. Once the decision will be finalized at the Court of Appeals, I am going to spend that money for Izmir. I hope that this writer will not call anybody in Izmir a fascist again. The city and the people of Izmir deserve this compensation of 14,000 TL".
Journalist Kütahyalı called Arıtman the "fascist person from Izmir" in two articles and twice on television.
In his article published in Taraf on 25 November 2009, Kütahyalı wrote, "It is not a coincidence that the most racist-fascist deputy currently working for the Turkish Grand National Assembly comes from Izmir. I very much like to call Izmir a 'civilized and modern city'. Is such a fascist, an enemy of humanity, the most popular deputy in a civilized city? This is not civilized but barbaric. What does it mean that the racist-fascist Izmir deputy of the CHP is that popular?"
On 22 May 2009, people in Izmir had thrown stones at a convoy of the now banned pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), including former Co-chair Ahmet Türk. Eleven people were injured in the incident. Journalists Kütahyalı and Hasan Cemal from the Milliyet newspaper expressed their bewilderment that this incident occurred in Izmir of all places.
Several people filed a complaint against Kütahyalı and Cemal saying that the city was associated with 'fascism', namely the Izmir Provincial General Assembly President, CHP member Serdar Değirmenci, and assembly member and artist of the Izmir State Classic Turkish Music Choir İdris Ercan. The trial is still pending. (EÖ/VK)
