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Kılıçdaroğlu poses 'fund scandal' questions to the government

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has reacted to the recent access bans imposed on websites and social media accounts. Drawing particular attention to the “fund scandal” investigation, Kılıçdaroğlu stated that journalists should not be prevented from reporting and the public should not be blocked from accessing information, saying, “Get out of the way of journalists. You cannot cover up your crimes this way.”

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Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was brought to the CHP Chairmanship with a decision of absolute nullity, stated in his statement regarding the access ban decisions against internet media and social media accounts that these decisions create an obstacle not only to press freedom but also to investigations concerning the public interest.

Making a statement via the social media platform X, Kılıçdaroğlu recalled that in recent weeks, access bans have been imposed on the Evrensel Newspaper, Kısa Dalga, Amnesty International, the Ali İsmail Korkmaz Foundation, and the account of Haluk Hepkon, the founder of Kırmızı Kedi Publishing. Stating that Prof. Dr. Yaman Akdeniz's account has also been blocked, Kılıçdaroğlu also criticized the decision regarding T24.


Kılıçdaroğlu stated that access bans have ceased to be an exceptional legal measure, and said that journalists reporting on the “fund scandal” in particular should not be blocked.

In his statement, Kılıçdaroğlu said, “We are talking about a scandal worth billions of liras that concerns the money of hundreds of thousands of citizens,” and noted that the issue concerns not only the opposition but also citizens who vote for the AKP. Kılıçdaroğlu used the expressions, “Who won? Who knew in advance? Who had political and bureaucratic connections? Who was tasked with auditing? Who failed to do their job? Asking these questions is not a crime.”

Kılıçdaroğlu emphasized that journalists should not be prevented from reporting, and expressed that access bans also harm the proper conduct of the investigation.

Addressing the government, Kılıçdaroğlu said, “The internet of this country is not a private valve that you can turn off to block news about yourself. I am addressing those sitting at the valve of the internet: I see and know what you are doing and why you are doing it. Take your hands off it. You cannot cover up your crimes this way.”

Kılıçdaroğlu's statement is as follows:

"Hundreds of social media accounts, news reports, and websites are now being blocked in Turkey every day.

Just in the last few weeks, the account of the 30-year-old Evrensel Newspaper was blocked.

Kısa Dalga's account was blocked.

Amnesty International's account was blocked.

The Ali İsmail Korkmaz Foundation's account was blocked.

The account of Özgür-Der Chairman Rıdvan Kaya was blocked.

The account of Haluk Hepkon, the founder of Kırmızı Kedi Publishing, was blocked.

And even more tragicomically; even the account of Prof. Dr. Yaman Akdeniz, who has been tracking access bans in Turkey for years, was blocked.

Finally, with another meaningless justification found, one of Turkey's largest internet news sites, T24, was shut down entirely.

Access bans have ceased to be an exceptional legal measure.

In recent days, we see that this censorship mechanism is being operated specifically on one issue:

The fund scandal.

We are talking about a scandal worth billions of liras that concerns the money of hundreds of thousands of citizens.

It is not just the opposition that is disturbed by this scandal.

Our citizens who vote for the AK Party are also disturbed.

Because there is no ideology here.

Here, there is money that people have saved with their own sweat.

Who won?

Who knew in advance?

Who had political and bureaucratic connections?

Who was tasked with auditing?

Who failed to do their job?

Asking these questions is not a crime.

Investigating these is the duty of a journalist.

If you really want to get to the bottom of this fund scandal, first get out of the way of journalists.

Do not block the news.

Do not silence journalists.

Do not shut down accounts.

Because today, these access bans are not just an obstacle to press freedom.

They are also an obstacle to this investigation.

Now I ask the government clearly:

Do you really want all the connections of this fund scandal to be revealed, or do you not?

Who won?

Who knew in advance?

Who earned millions, billions from which funds?

Who had political connections?

Who had relatives or acquaintances in the bureaucracy?

Who failed to see these while they were tasked with auditing them?

Do you want all of this to be revealed, or do you not?

If you want it, you will get out of the way of journalists.

The internet of this country is not a private valve that you can turn off to block news about yourself.

I am addressing those sitting at the valve of the internet:

I see and know what you are doing and why you are doing it.

Take your hands off it.

You cannot cover up your crimes this way."