The terrorist leader's video... İmamoğlu's trial... A memory from September 12...

Let us share a scene from the 2013 İmralı-PKK peace process from the İmralı Notes.

Pervin Buldan: Mr. Chairman, how are you?

Terrorist leader: I am fine, as you can see.

S. S. Önder: Mr. Chairman, you look well.

Terrorist leader: I am always fine, we will be fine. This time our time is very limited, I think you have reports. Mr. Süreyya, you went to Qandil. (Turning to Pervin) You went to Europe. I will take your impressions. I have read the letter.

S. S. Önder: Upon your instruction, we both delivered the letter and made our reports, and I observed everyone individually and spoke to them one by one as much as possible. First of all, as you have read in the letter, they find it important that a delegation from Qandil meets with you directly. They want this for two reasons: First, their longing for you, and second, the thought that it would create a positive effect on the guerrillas. As soon as I returned, I discussed this situation with Mr. Sadullah [then-Minister of Justice Sadullah Ergin]. I conveyed that if this could not be done immediately, a video and audio recording directly addressing the guerrillas could be possible for the time being. Mr. Sadullah said that having a delegation from Qandil meet with you would be easier than a video and would involve less risk.

Terrorist leader: Well, let's stop there. I discussed this with the delegation. As you already know, I also had a request and consensus in this direction. A state decision is required for this. It cannot be video, it cannot be virtual. Perhaps after the first phase is finished. We said this would be a call to Parliament, the request is correct, but the timing is early. Not now. These will happen in the second phase anyway.

BY VIOLATING REGULATIONS 12 YEARS LATER

What has happened in the current peace process initiated by MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli?

It has come to the agenda that the baby killer should address not only his terrorists but also the public via video.

It was February; Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç said, “It is not in accordance with our regulations for a convict to make a statement from prison via video.”

But when the terrorist leader made a call for the so-called dissolution of the PKK and laying down arms on February 27, both photos were taken and a video was recorded. Minister Tunç said that the video in question was “a video taken entirely for the state's security and intelligence purposes.”

In March, when the debate arose over whether the terrorist leader would make a video call during Nevruz, Minister Tunç spoke as follows:

“In our penal execution legislation, how convicts can meet with their relatives and how they will have contact with the outside world is subject to certain conditions. They can send letters, they can talk on the phone. These are matters that are in the legislation. But it is not possible for him to establish contact via a video or a live connection. He can send a letter. Convicts can write letters, and letters can be written to convicts... If there is a request, an evaluation can be made regarding the letter.”

Afterwards, we learned that the terrorist leader, along with his three friends in İmralı, participated in the PKK congress held on May 5-7 via teleconference.

On July 9, the terrorist leader released a video message to the PKK and the public with his team in İmralı.

This time, Minister of Justice Tunç said, “Our state's institutions are making every effort to use whatever tools and authority are necessary for a positive result.”

In short; this request of the terrorist leader and Qandil, which was not accepted in 2013, was met 12 years later by trampling on the laws. Just like the terrorist leader's request for a commission to be established in the Turkish Grand National Assembly being fulfilled without any legal basis!..

IS IRONY BECOMING REALITY?

As you know, we have another important problem (!).

As if the MIT is not meeting at all, and the DEM delegation is not conveying the ravings of İmralı, the terrorist leader's participation in the commission in the Turkish Grand National Assembly or the commission going to İmralı to listen to him is being discussed.

The purpose is obvious; to legalize the terrorist leader and make him the chief interlocutor.

While it is crystal clear that this is the goal, I made the following ironic suggestion on September 19 in response to those discussions:

“Why the fight, just connect the terrorist leader to the commission online, and that's it.”

Do you know who made what kind of proposal about 1 month later?

Commission member HÜDA PAR Chairman Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu said, “This meeting should take place... Abdullah Öcalan can be heard via SEGBİS without going to İmralı. Then the whole commission could have heard what he said directly from his own mouth. Perhaps some might even have questions. Those questions could also be asked. So, I think it is possible to overcome these.”, is that good?

May God protect the sanity of us all!..

MARTIAL LAW PRACTICE IN THE İMAMOĞLU CASE

As you know, there is a demand from the currently imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and the CHP for the hearings to be broadcast live on TRT.

What did Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç say regarding this demand, which is also supported by MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli? He said the following:

“If there is a consensus on this matter, if this legislative change can be provided, it is at the discretion of the Parliament. If the TBMM deems it appropriate to broadcast the hearings live within the scope of the openness of the hearings, this matter is of course entirely at the discretion of the Parliament, but Article 183 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CMK) mandates that not even photographs can be taken at the hearings.”

Isn't it nice that the legislation, which is forgotten when it comes to the terrorist leader, is remembered when it comes to İmamoğlu?!

On Monday, there was İmamoğlu's diploma hearing. As far as we saw from the news, when the hearing was moved to a small courtroom, even lawyers and journalists could not get in... The measures at the entrance of the hall were likened to a “martial law practice”... After the discussions, the hearing was moved to a large hall.

Similar discussions took place in another case of İmamoğlu on September 26, and Chief Advisor to the President Oktay Saral targeted both İmamoğlu and the court panel as follows:

“Who is making this shapeless person do these shows? Trials are held closed to the press. It is forbidden to bring devices such as phones or video cameras into the courtroom. While this is the case, the court panel that turns a blind eye to these shootings should be suspended immediately. I invite the HSK to do its duty.”

This time, it was a website close to the government that publishes entirely judicial news that targeted the Judge who conducted the hearing on Monday, by writing his name openly. The site in question accused the Judge, who held the hearing in a large hall, of chasing “visibility” and “knowingly strengthening the ground to show İmamoğlu as a victim.”

THE MHP CASE ON SEPTEMBER 12

I will come to this; a retired colonel who watched the “martial law practices” in that hearing of İmamoğlu called and stated that he felt the need to share a memory regarding the September 12 period and told the following:

“According to the indictment, the MHP and Nationalist Organizations case with approximately 700-800 defendants was going to be heard. The courtroom in Mamak could only hold a thousand people. There was no room for the relatives of the defendants, let alone lawyers and the press. I was a strange signal officer captain at the time. Ankara Martial Law Commander Recep Ergun called; he gave instructions for us to pull a cable from the courtroom to the cafeteria next door so that those who could not enter could watch the hearings via a television to be placed there. I didn't know what to do. First, I went to TRT. There is a colonel at the head of TRT; he kicked me out, saying, 'Cameras are very expensive, I can't give them.' While I was leaving there without knowing what to do, someone suggested I go to the university in Eskişehir and said, 'They have the means, they will help.' I went immediately and explained the situation. They showed a camera like a collective gun and said that they could transmit the broadcast here with a cable and that they would also send a team for this. Indeed, a team came, we put two black-and-white televisions in the 200-person cafeteria and established a connection between the courtroom and here. While this system was being installed, in order to surprise the Martial Law Commander, I had a second line pulled and a television placed in his office so he could watch the hearings too. When the Commander saw this, he asked what it was, and I explained. While he was hitting the television in anger and knocking it to the ground, he asked, 'Did anyone see you bringing this here?' I answered, 'No, we installed it on Sunday.' While ordering it to be dismantled immediately, he kicked me out, saying, 'The whole press is already claiming that I am giving orders to the courts, now are you going to make them say they are watching the hearings too? Get out, leave.' I realized my mistake then.”

He concluded the end as follows:

“I look and see, the Martial Law Commander was more democratic. Why is there so much chaos and discussion today? Broadcast the hearings on television, let everyone watch.”

With Erdoğan's famous words; from where to where!..

Müyesser YILDIZ

October 24, 2025