Minister Tunç: Everyone in Turkey can express their thoughts freely

Minister Tunç visited the Courthouse and the Bar Association as part of his contacts in Bolu, and then proceeded to the AK Party Bolu Provincial Headquarters.

Meeting with Provincial Chairman Suat Güner in his office, Tunç also came together with party members.

Speaking during the visit, Tunç mentioned the investments the Ministry has implemented and continues to carry out in Bolu, and said that they are accelerating their efforts to maximize citizens' satisfaction with judicial services.

Tunç noted that Turkey has gained very important works during the 22-year rule of the AKP, and added that they have also achieved significant progress in the field of fundamental rights and freedoms, and raised the standards of democracy.

Emphasizing that Turkey continues its progress on the path of democracy rapidly, Tunç said, "Whatever we do for our nation is not enough. Hopefully, we will continue this sacred struggle, the struggle for the construction of the Century of Turkey, without slowing down."

Pointing out that there are those who claim there are still restrictions regarding freedom of thought and expression in Turkey, Minister Tunç made the following assessment:

"Such a situation is absolutely out of the question. Everyone in Turkey can express their thoughts freely. Of course, freedom of thought and expression also has a limit in democratic states governed by the rule of law. That limit is the freedom of others. If you write an article or express a thought that encourages violence, terrorism, or is contrary to fundamental human rights, these are not tolerated anywhere in the world, in democratic states governed by the rule of law. We have created an environment where fundamental rights and freedoms are expanded as much as possible within the framework of laws, the Constitution, and the law."

"WE ARE ALSO INTERVENING IN THE CASE"

Emphasizing that they have always stood by the oppressed with the fair, just, and resolute stance of AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in foreign policy, Tunç continued as follows:

"We continue to say that the world is bigger than 5. Today, a humanitarian tragedy is taking place in Palestine and Gaza. International organizations are ineffective. 16 thousand children have been killed. Nearly 10 thousand women have been martyred. 36 thousand people, Palestinians, civilians have been subjected to genocide. The genocide is still ongoing, but unfortunately, the international law, international courts, and international organizations tasked with stopping that genocide are not functioning.

Our President has been saying this from the very beginning. When he takes the podium at the United Nations and says 'The world is bigger than 5', this is exactly what he means. We always express that the international system needs to be revised. There is the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations.

A case was initiated upon the initiative of South Africa, stemming from the convention on the prevention of genocide, and we are now intervening in the case that began on the grounds that Israel violated this convention. We have made that decision; our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Ministry of Justice are working together, and we are intervening."

Tunç stated that the precautionary decisions taken there should be implemented by the Security Council, but that the decision is invalid when 1 of the 5 members says "no", and said, "There is also the International Criminal Court. This is tasked with trying those who commit genocide. We have filed criminal complaints. Hundreds of petitions have gone from all non-governmental organizations and our bar associations in Turkey. There is an investigation initiated by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, both before and after October 7, but unfortunately, it could not turn into a case.

In other words, the prosecutor could not open a case against the murderers who committed that crime due to the crime of genocide. He requested an arrest warrant for the purpose of apprehension and detention, but unfortunately, this request has not been met yet, and now the United States is attempting to accuse the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, asking 'Why did you request it?'"

Underlining that they will continue to defend justice in such an unfair world order, Tunç said, "We will continue to defend the rights of the oppressed. In this environment where those international organizations that scream about children's rights and talk about women's rights act hypocritically and ignore Israel's massacres of children, it has been seen by the whole world. As Turkey, we will continue our efforts to stop the bloodshed there and continue to defend them on every platform under the leadership of our President."

"THERE WILL BE NO CASES LASTING FOR YEARS IN OUR COUNTRY"

Minister Tunç stated that there is a 4-year period ahead of them without elections, and noted the following:

"The impact of the pandemic was negative on our economy. The wars around us, the Russia-Ukraine war, the developments in our south, and the developments in our region naturally affected the economy negatively. We are now in the recovery process. Hopefully, our economic management is putting forward studies one by one that will increase the purchasing power of our people." 

Tunç emphasized that they will strive to increase the purchasing power of the people, from civil servants to retirees and workers, by stopping the rise in inflation in the near future due to some reasons caused by the pandemic and external developments, and bringing it back to single-digit inflation figures.

Explaining that there are measures they have taken under the Ministry's responsibility to ensure that justice is served without delay, and that they have put some of these into effect, Tunç said:

"We will all see together how these yield results in the coming period. There will be no cases lasting for years in our country. Fast trial, effective trial, but most importantly, justice being served. A judicial system that will give the rightful their rights more quickly. A lot has been done in 22 years. Especially within the framework of legal reform and judicial reform strategy documents. Now, by increasing that speed even more, we will carry the satisfaction of our citizens with judicial services to the highest level."

Tunç added that thanks to the organizations that are in touch with the citizens, the winner of the 2028 elections will undoubtedly be the AK Party.

News Source: AA