NEWS
Date published: 21 June 2019 15:09
Modified On: 21 June 2019 17:10

Social Media Reactions to Announcement of Öcalan's Letter by Academic Özcan

After imprisoned PKK leader Öcalan's letter on İstanbul repeat elections was shared with the public, the letter has sparked reactions on social media. While some refer to “vain efforts” of AKP, others refer to Academics for Peace charged with “terror propaganda.”

İstanbul
Social Media Reactions to Announcement of Öcalan's Letter by Academic Özcan

Click to read the article in Turkish

After the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) reported that Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan sent a letter from prison via Assoc. Prof. Ali Kemal Özcan and made a call to the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) to "remain neutral" in İstanbul Metropolitan Mayoral election rerun on June 23, the letter as well as the way it was shared with the public have stirred reactions on social media.

CLICK - Öcalan's Lawyers Share the Details of Their Meeting with Öcalan and His Messages

CLICK - HDP: Change in Our Election Strategy Out of Question

After it was reported that the content of the letter was announced by Assoc. Prof. Ali Kemal Özcan, the Sociology Department Chair of Tunceli Munzur University, some users have referred to the Academics for Peace who are charged with "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" for having signed the declaration "We will not be a party to this crime."

While academic and journalist Ceren Sözeri said, "The man who says that he values the opinions of Öcalan makes a statement for the press and he is sent to İmralı. (...) We have been sentenced to prison, most of us have been dismissed and deprived of their passports," journalist Banu Güven stated, "Academics were tried and convicted in this country for demanding peace on the allegation that they received instructions from the organization."

Some of these social media messages are as follows:

Academic and journalist Ceren Sözeri: "The man who says that he values the opinions of Öcalan makes a statement for the press and he is sent to İmralı. In our indictment, there was a sentence that read, 'They took instruction from Bese Hozat [of PKK].' We have been sentenced to prison, most of us have been dismissed and deprived of their passports."

CLICK - Trials of Academics for Peace

Journalist and writer Nurcan Baysal: "If it had been me who shared this letter [of Öcalan], they would not lose time to turn up at my door with Anti-Riot Water Cannon Vehicles (TOMA), probably break my door and imprison me for membership of a terrorist organization."

CLICK - 'How Hard It is to Write the Truth'

HDP Diyarbakır MP Garo Paylan: "There is no change in HDP's strategies and tactical steps in İstanbul elections. On Sunday, my vote is to Ekrem İmamoğlu! Come on, let's make the margin of votes at least 1 million!"

CLICK - 'We Believe Discourse of İmamoğlu Should be Supported'

Journalist Banu Güven: "The gentleman says, 'I met with Öcalan as an academic who is a citizen of the Republic of Turkey' as if it was natural in the current conditions in Turkey. Academics were tried and convicted in this country for demanding peace on the allegation that they received instructions from the organization."

Journalist İrfan Aktan: "These are the vain efforts of those who think that Kurds, or the Turks, are children to deceive."

Musician Ferhat Tunç: "They have left no tricks to play to confuse the HDP voters. It will remain as a vain effort. The process which started with 'Kurdistan' statement [of AKP's İstanbul candidate Binali Yıldırım] continues with Ahmet Kaya yesterday and with 'Öcalan letter' today. They will apparently lose badly on June 23! Everything will be fine."

Writer Yıldırım Türker: "Kurdish voters will not be deceived by dirty tricks of the state."

Journalist Fehim Taştekin: "So, it means you are now dependent on Öcalan!"

Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Gürsel Tekin: "The obvious truth is this: If Selahattin Demirtaş had given in to Erdoğan and made a different statement, he would have been released. Today, Erdoğan has confessed that all unfair accusations against Demirtaş are a lie. Demirtaş is behind bars because he did not obey the fascist, repressive AKP regime."

Journalist Mirgün Cabas: "They are treating the most politicized voters' group of the country as if they were bumpkins."

Legist Kerem Altıparmak: "If Öcalan's statements are so important to be immediately shared by the Anadolu Agency, then, why wasn't he allowed to meet anyone for years? Perhaps someone, for instance, Ersoy Dede, who shared the letter with excitement, would explain it to us." (AÖ/SD)

abdullah ocalan İstanbul repeat elections Abdullah Öcalan social media local elections 2019 Abdûllah Ocalan
https://bianet.org/haber/social-media-reactions-to-announcement-of-ocalan-s-letter-by-academic-ozcan-209591
2024-05-18 04:33:47