Testimony of Dilruba K., arrested over Instagram interview, revealed: 'I did not target any individual'

Details of the investigation and the testimony of 33-year-old Dilruba K., following her remarks published on a YouTube channel, have been obtained.

According to a report by Alican Uludağ from DW Turkish, the Public Security Bureau of the İzmir Police Department first prepared a report regarding the speech in question and notified the prosecutor's office. 

İzmir Public Prosecutor Fatih Gökkaya subsequently launched an investigation into Dilruba K. for these remarks on charges of "insulting the President" and "publicly inciting the people to hatred and hostility." 

Prosecutor Gökkaya took Dilruba K.'s testimony separately for both charges. The prosecutor then referred Dilruba K. to the court with a request for her arrest on both counts. 

Dilruba K., who was detained in İzmir on August 12 and subsequently brought to the courthouse, was arrested by the court and sent to the İzmir Aliağa Women's Closed Prison.

"I APOLOGIZE"

In her prosecutor's interrogation, explaining the interview she gave regarding the blocking of Instagram, Dilruba K. stated, "In my interview, I did not target any state authority or individual. I used the word 'idiot' to refer to citizens who do not understand the consequences of the Instagram ban and the killing of animals.

I did not specifically mean the President or any other individual," she said. Appearing before the İzmir 6th Criminal Judgeship of Peace, Dilruba K. stated in her testimony there that she used these words within the scope of criticism and freedom of expression, and that she had no intention to insult, adding, "I apologize if I caused a different meaning to be understood."  

The judges, who issued the arrest warrant on two separate charges, cited "strong suspicion of a crime" as the justification. 

“AN ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE TO SILENCE THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE”

Hüseyin Yıldız, the lawyer for Dilruba K. registered with the İzmir Bar Association, stated that the remarks in question fall within the scope of freedom of expression, adding that when the video is viewed in its entirety, there are no elements of insult directed at the President's person or office.

Yıldız said, "There is an impolite section towards the end of the video, but the target of that section is neither the President nor the groups mentioned in Article 216/2 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). In other words, the words uttered by our client are not directed at a person, a social class, a race, a religion, or a sect. Therefore, they do not fit the definitions of the crimes mentioned in TCK 299 (Insulting the President) and TCK 216 (Inciting the public to hatred and hostility and degrading them). By arresting Dilruba, an attempt has been made to silence the voice of the people. By punishing a citizen who wants to seek their rights, a message is being sent to society: 'Stay silent, or there will be consequences for you'."

WHAT HAPPENED?

When asked about the Instagram ban, Dilruba K. had said, "If we stand up in the middle of the 21st century, leave the parliamentary system, and hand over the entire Republic of Turkey to a single man, he will use it like his father's farm, like a barn. He posts Friday messages while his own Instagram is open. And there are even those who support this, saying: 'Of course he will use it, of course he will open it.' What I am saying might be misunderstood or taken in other directions. I don't care at all," and she had reacted to the declaration of national mourning for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. 

Dilruba K. had also criticized those who support the government, citing both the Instagram ban and the regulation regarding stray animals. 

News Source: 12punto

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