The arrest of journalist Lale Arslan... So there is a 'Good' and a 'Bad' terrorist organization after all!..

When Erdoğan was sentenced to 10 months in prison while he was Mayor, he reacted as follows:

“What are they accusing me of? They are accusing me of inciting the public to hatred and hostility. Well, where is this public that is being incited to hatred and hostility? Why doesn't a single soul come out and ask?.. The cause of the troubles in our country is not a poem being read, it is not demands for freedom, it is not people who think and speak. The cause of this is oppressive and totalitarian mindsets. The cause of this is mafia-like structures that are blinded by the desire to plunder the material and moral values of the country and no longer recognize any legal or human boundaries. This path is not the right path. They want to drag our country to a level even behind banana republics.”

Today, our country has turned into a hell of “crimes” and “criminals.” We can no longer keep up with the operations, detentions, arrests, and accusations.

It was July; former AKUT President Nasuh Mahruki was arrested. His crime was questioning the July 15 coup attempt by calling it a “controlled coup.” But the prosecutor's office claimed that Mahruki called it “theater” and concluded that this was “of a nature to create public outrage with a clear and present danger within society.”

In August, retired Admiral Türker Ertürk was arrested. His crime was two videos shared by cutting and pasting from programs he attended, one in 2023 and the other in 2017. According to the prosecutor's office, Ertürk had also committed the crime of “threatening to create fear and panic among the public.”

You know the situation of comedian Deniz Göktaş. What happened to him surpassed the most tragic of tragicomedies. While he was in custody, he was filmed repeatedly while handcuffed behind his back. While he was under arrest, a decision was made for his release on the charges of “insulting the President” and “inciting the public to hatred and hostility.” Before he could leave the prison, he was arrested for “praising a crime and a criminal.” Then, he was re-arrested on the previous two charges as well.

IS ERK ACARER WANTED WITH A RED NOTICE?

Finally, three days ago; 57-year-old Lale Arslan, a mother of two who tries to practice journalism with her own means on YouTube because she was pushed out of the system for not belonging to any particular circle, was arrested on charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information” and “making propaganda for a terrorist organization.”

One of the accusations directed at Arslan was her broadcast titled “The government's chaos plan for the election” dated April 3, 2023. Arslan explained that in this broadcast, she only shared the concerns coming from citizens...

She was asked about her broadcast titled “Are bureaucrats whose surnames were changed after July 15 being hidden?” She said she did not remember because a long time had passed...

In her broadcast titled “Great danger! Cults, sects, TSK, children,” she emphasized that she was addressing the structures of organizations like “FETÖ” within the TSK and the abuse of children...

In her broadcasts titled “What is happening at Incirlik” and “What will happen when the NATO members leave on July 9,” she stated that the US attack on Iran and our gains at the NATO Summit were being questioned...

She did not remember the broadcast titled “Allegation of bribery in the stock market” and a copy of the Zaman newspaper found in her home. Her lawyer, Çağlar Çağlayan, explained that the subject of the first was the resignation of a person with a political personality at the Capital Markets Board (SPK) due to these allegations, which was on the agenda at the time, and that the Zaman newspaper was kept because of a news story about Arslan's husband in the past...

Let us come to the “terrorist organization propaganda” charge after these broadcasts, which were made the subject of the “publicly disseminating misleading information” charge.

The reason is the interview she conducted with fugitive Erk Acarer. In her interrogation by the prosecutor's office and the criminal judgeship of peace, Lale Arslan said in summary:

“I know FETÖ/PDY as a terrorist organization. I never accept their actions. I have never characterized FETÖ/PDY members as victims in any of my broadcasts. I do not know Erk Acarer personally; he is a journalist. I established contact due to news broadcasts. I reached out by sending a message via DM. I do not know if he is wanted for various crimes. I even warned him to be careful before my broadcasts. I do not approve of his communications regarding Cevheri Güven either. I refrain from even mentioning FETÖ. I experienced shocks at the place where I worked under the bombs that day. I have no connection with FETÖ. I condemn it.”

It is understood that Lale Arslan was arrested not because of her other broadcasts from months or even years ago, but because of the Erk Acarer interview.

Fine, but there is neither a finalized court decision regarding Erk Acarer being a “FETÖ member,” nor is he someone wanted with a red notice!..

A PLEA TO PKK MEMBERS: “PLEASE DON'T DO THIS”

After this reminder, let us look at the picture regarding the PKK, which is still accepted as a terrorist organization in our country.

From the terrorist leader to Qandil, from fugitives to DEM members; there is no crime they have not committed, including “inciting the public to hatred and hostility, threatening to create fear and panic among the public, praising a crime and a criminal, publicly disseminating misleading information, making propaganda for a terrorist organization,” as well as “insulting state institutions” by saying “we are not negotiating with the government, but with the state” and revealing open goals of “changing the constitutional order.”

One day after journalist Lale Arslan's arrest, the day before yesterday, Deputy Minister of Interior Bülent Turan, while reacting to the condolence tents set up for PKK members, said, “Is there such a thing as condolences 3 or 5 years later? This is nothing but exploitation. Turkey's laws have not changed. Turkey's current legislation does not allow for hanging posters of terrorist leaders in the background.” After that, he made the following pleas:

“Please do not test the patience of this nation. Please do not do the wrong thing... Please come to your senses. Please do not play with the nerve endings of this state. Do not play with the sensitivities of this nation. Let us conclude this beautiful process together.”

Well, what happened at the DEM congress held in Ankara yesterday, immediately after Turan's pleas?

Co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları sent greetings to the “esteemed” terrorist leader, whom she claimed “opened the door to peace and a democratic society in this country.” Those in the hall stood up and chanted “biji serok Apo” slogans...

Hatimoğulları challenged by saying, “condolence tents have been set up in many places, and more will be set up”... She said that the establishment of a table in Imrali today was due to “this effort, struggle, the prices paid, and the conditions imposed by the country”... And she again made the demand for “equal citizenship,” which means changing the constitutional order.

Let us move past these.

A journalist writing and drawing in Turkey conducted an interview in Qandil 1.5 months ago with Duran Kalkan, one of the PKK ringleaders still wanted with a red notice...

Again, interviews and broadcasts were conducted with Remzi Kartal, the head of the KCK living in Brussels, who is also wanted with a red notice...

Likewise, Mazlum Kobani, the head of the SDG/YPG/PYD who martyred 17 of our soldiers and is wanted with a red notice, was allowed to speak for the first time just a few days ago on a channel broadcasting in Turkey...

Have you heard of anyone being accused of “terrorist organization propaganda” for conducting those interviews?

Apparently, there are terrorist organizations considered “good” and “bad” in our country, which is why Lale Arslan was arrested!..

WHO ARE THESE “HEROES”?

Speaking of “FETÖ”; Yeni Şafak, one of the government's biggest supporters, published a very striking news story in the first days of last month titled “Who wants to purge those fighting against FETÖ?”

In the news, it was claimed that “FETÖ” is trying to restructure within the state, that the organization has maintained its vitality despite 10 years passing since July 15, and that in the meantime, the cadres who were at the forefront of the fight against the organization have been retired or assigned to passive duties.

Perhaps as a result of no one making a sound, 17 days later, the newspaper's Editor-in-Chief Hüseyin Likoğlu voiced the following allegations:

“Those who said there is no FETÖ-METÖ on July 14 are telling stories of heroism 10 years later. Those who did not see, could not see, did not want to see, or saw and shied away from the Fetullahists before July 15 are unfortunately in decision-making positions again today... Those who served the organization before and after July 15, those who leaked information to the organization's businessmen, have taken up swords today and are slaughtering those who put their hands and bodies under the stone in the fight against FETÖ!.. Those who placed listening devices in the vehicles of the symbolic names of the fight against FETÖ are acting in an organized manner again today. The person who was part of FETÖ's controlled confession scheme and who told me personally in 2017, 'If you destroy my men, I will destroy yours,' kept his word and destroyed the men who paid great prices for this country and in the fight against FETÖ. I have written it many times before; if there is anyone left who fought against FETÖ and has not had trouble, let them wait for their turn. Their turn will come too.”

While Lale Arslan, who was trying to make ends meet, was arrested in the name of “fighting against FETÖ,” was anyone asked, “Who are these people telling stories of heroism, who are still in decision-making positions, and who are slaughtering those fighting against FETÖ?”

Müyesser YILDIZ

September 7, 2026