Message from Dilruba, arrested over Instagram comment: 'They cannot scare or intimidate me'
CHP İzmir Deputy Tuncay Özkan, who visited Dilruba—who made headlines for her comments on the Instagram ban during a street interview and was subsequently arrested and jailed—conveyed the young woman's messages.
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CHP Deputy Özkan visited Dilruba Y. at the Şakran Women's Closed Penal Institution, where she was sent after being arrested on charges of "inciting the public to hatred and enmity and insulting them" and "insulting the president" due to statements she made during a street interview in İzmir.
Following his visit, Özkan stated the following:
"She is one of the latest victims of freedom of expression in Turkey. Defending freedom of expression is defending humanity. A lionhearted Turkish girl is expressing these things from inside."
Dilruba Y. says, 'By putting me here, they have only made me stronger. After I get out of here, I will continue to defend these ideas because my guide is Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. I did not insult anyone. I did not speak with the intent to insult, but I expressed my views. I will continue to express my views. They cannot scare me, they cannot intimidate me.' Dilruba sends her greetings and love to you all.
"SHE WILL CONTINUE HER STRUGGLE"
Dilruba will continue her struggle for freedom. However, today is the 23rd anniversary of the AK Party. They have drifted and arrived here on a very wrong path. By imposing bans and limiting freedoms, there is nowhere left for them to go. I am addressing Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. 'The Republic rallies were to provoke the public.' No, I organized them. Our people were not provoked. Our people said they were protecting the Republic with that powerful voice that erupted from within them, flowing like a flood.
Our people will take to the squares again today to defend freedom of expression if necessary. There is no need to fear the squares or the people. They didn't do anything to you back then, Erdoğan. What will they do to you today?
Squares are places where the people flow like an enthusiastic flood and where the heart of Turkey beats. There is no need to fear them. One should not fear the people. We will continue to make the people's voice heard, to defend the people, and to walk with the people.''