RTÜK President Şahin reacts to boycott calls

RTÜK President Ebubekir Şahin stated in his social media post,

"While dozens of our tradespeople are suffering losses in these incidents, the strange boycott war launched unfairly against Turkey's most valuable brands is being watched with concern. While on one hand, disinformation is being spread even about cotton candy given to children on screens, some channels have not hesitated to recklessly broadcast many lies, including claims that city restaurants were being closed," he said.

In his social media post, RTÜK President Ebubekir Şahin stated that the boycott calls made on some channels are being monitored, adding, "We are monitoring with great patience and by making the necessary preparations for our first Supreme Council meeting the calls for 'Take to the streets' made to our nation and especially our youth for days, and the reckless live broadcasts of these delusions by some of our channels without recognizing any rules or principles. Our nation has unfortunately witnessed all kinds of disgrace committed by some individuals who took to the streets under the mask of so-called 'democratic rights' in certain broadcasts, ranging from immorally insulting our President's late, respected mother, to damaging our historical mosques, throwing acidic substances at our police, and opening dozens of banners containing provocations. While dozens of our tradespeople are suffering losses in these incidents, the strange boycott wars launched unfairly against Turkey's most valuable brands are being watched with concern. While on one hand, disinformation is being spread even about cotton candy given to children on screens, some channels have not hesitated to recklessly broadcast many lies, including claims that city restaurants were being closed," he said.

Stating that the threats made constitute a crime against RTÜK, Şahin said in his statement, "As a constitutional institution, RTÜK must continue its inspection activities within its own scope of duty. However, in almost all countries of the world, main opposition parties also work within their own responsibilities and for the benefit of the country. It should be noted that in the countries that the opposition praises at every opportunity, an opposition leader who 'threatens the constitutional institutions of the state' has never been encountered. Furthermore, there is an established tradition in the press organizations of some countries, which the opposition also mentions in statements aimed at putting Turkey in a difficult position by complaining about it, to primarily 'think about the interests of their own state.' It is expected that the officials of a country's main opposition party will at least show this sensitivity. In this context, threats such as 'Don't you dare! Don't try to touch these channels. We will break your forehead' are primarily a crime committed against RTÜK, a constitutional institution of the state. On the other hand, RTÜK will never take a step back in its work and procedures regarding its responsibilities out of fear of these threats, and will continue to do its job with enthusiasm as it has done before. It should be known that regardless of which channel it is, 'no matter whose favorite, whose hero, or whose darling it is,' if it is acting unlawfully, behaving in a lawless manner, censoring state institutions and their employees, ignoring all warnings regarding the broadcasting of manipulative images and news, and obstructing the public's freedom to receive information, the necessary administrative sanctions will be applied at the maximum level within the scope of the laws. In addition, a criminal complaint will be filed with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding all threats and insults made against our institution and our executives," he said.