Pro-government Yeni Şafak columnist speaks out for Ayşe Barım
İsmail Kılıçarslan, a columnist for the pro-government newspaper Yeni Şafak, has written that talent manager Ayşe Barım, who was detained as part of the Gezi Park investigation, is innocent. In his column, Kılıçarslan stated, "Ayşe Barım is completely innocent. Let me say it again, speaking from a level of conviction that even Fatih Altaylı did not dare to reach while defending Barım: Ayşe Barım has committed no crime. If there is a crime, it is entirely and solely our own."
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The investigation into Ayşe Barım, a manager for famous actors who has recently been in the spotlight over allegations of monopolization in the industry, has evolved into a Gezi Park case.
Barım, who is alleged to have been among the planners of the Gezi Park protests, was detained on charges of "attempting to overthrow the Republic of Turkey or prevent it from performing its duties," while numerous actors have provided testimony as witnesses as part of the investigation.
İsmail Kılıçarslan, a columnist for the pro-government newspaper Yeni Şafak, penned a notable article regarding the detention of Ayşe Barım.
Kılıçarslan's article, titled "Ayşe Barım is innocent," reads as follows:
"Ayşe Barım is completely innocent. Let me say it again, speaking from a level of conviction that even Fatih Altaylı did not dare to reach while defending Barım: Ayşe Barım has committed no crime.
If there is a crime, it is entirely and solely our own.
Because we do not actually love our country; in fact, we are disgusted by it. Because we insist on considering ourselves 'free' even though we completely allow others to dictate to us what to think and how to think it. Because we never shy away from greedily swallowing the bait offered to us every single time. Because we mistake the political struggle in Turkey for a blind brawl or a trivial party matter, and we consider it a skill to ignore almost every threat directed at our vitality, our existence, and our survival."
Because we are so naive that if someone in our family were to use cocaine, buy or sell it, get people addicted to drugs, molest a minor, secretly have an abortion from an illicit affair, attempt to blackmail someone with images in their possession, traffic men or women, deprive someone of their right to work simply because 'their mindset doesn't match mine,' or fire the employee who was beaten rather than the one who did the beating—and not even feel the need to hide it—we would raise hell. Yet, we remain silent while a group with such low morals shapes our opinions, perceptions, emotions, and even our behaviors."