Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 14-12-19

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] AKP Deputy called on Derya to apologize

[02] Flash protest at "parliament" in solidarity with Dogus Derya

[03] Talat and Denktas on Derya's issue

[04] Turkish Cypriot daily to AKP Deputy: "You are the one that should apologize"

[05] 2015 financial "budget" approved

[06] EVKAF: Antiquities smuggling is still continuing

[07] The Mayor of occupied Lefkosia met with the Italian ambassador to Cyprus

[08] Demirtas: Continued rule of AKP may lead to civil war

[09] Zaman daily's chief editor is charged under anti-terror laws

[10] Opinion poll shows Turkish support for EU membership at record low

[11] Turkey appeals an ECHR ruling on compulsory religion classes in schools

[A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS

[01] AKP Deputy called on Derya to apologize

Oz said he could not understand what her intention was when she made the statement and added that if that "deputy" did not apologise, he would bring legal action against her. He went on to say that it should be known that that person is a "deputy" today because of the actions of the Turkish military.

Oz went on and said that Derya was 'characterless' and she had no right blaming the Turkish military for rape and pointed out that they saw this as a disrespect towards the Turkish nation and military. He also congratulated the people who reacted towards Derya.

[02] Flash protest at "parliament" in solidarity with Dogus Derya

The members of the Gender Equality Platform entered the "parliament" all wearing purple and opened a banner which read "We won't keep quiet against violence". After the protestors opened the banner, the "parliament's security" intervened causing a brief quarrel between the protestors and the security.

Protestors who closed their mouths with black bands protesting the attacks against freedom of speech were taken out of the room while Mehmet Caglar who was leading the session announced a 10 minutes recess. "Deputies" with the Social Democracy Party (TDP) Zeki Celer and Mehmet Cak?c? supported the protestors alongside several CTP-BG "deputies" while the protestors were being taken out after chanting slogans: "Women cannot be silenced by rape", "Dogus Derya is not alone".

On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (19.12.14) reports that the Secretary of executive council of the New Cyprus Party (YKP) Celal D. Onen, in a written statement, called on all those who attacked Dogus Derya even with "rape threats" to apologize.

Tahir Gokcebel, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Secondary Education Teachers' Trade Union (KTOEOS) said that the verbal attack against Derya violates the human rights and the democracy, adding that this kind of attack is intolerant and fascist. He also said that the racists, who use the history and the nationalism as a feeding tool, are responsible for the pain and the division in Cyprus.

Canan Onurer, general secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Journalists Trade Union (BASIN - SEN), in a written statement, also criticized the attack against Derya.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi Daily News (online, 18.12.14) reported that the Turkish Cypriot Teachers' Trade Union (KTOS) called all the pro-peace groups and people from both sides of the Island to join the demonstration which will take place on Saturday morning in order to raise a 'joint and strong voice against the perpetrators of despicable crimes of our past and their likeminded supporters'.

In a press release issued on Thursday, the General Secretary of KTOS, Sener Elcil notes that after Derya's speech at the "parliament" (in which she urged everyone to recognise the fact that both communities suffered during the conflicts) the unspoken and painful truths of our past was once again revealed. In his statement, Elcil listed the mass murders of 50s, 60s and 70s and pointed out that rapes, missing persons and mass murders were the common grief of all Cypriots.

Elcil also urged everyone to stop denying the past atrocities and face the truth with dignity and "accept the fact that everyone suffered during the war". "Perpetrators of the terrible crimes, some of whom still live among us and their likeminded supporters attack the ones who speak of the truth and calls everyone to face the past in order to build a better future", said Elcil.

The demonstration will take place at 11.00 am on Saturday the 20th at Ledra Street check-point in Nicosia.

[03] Talat and Denktas on Derya's issue

Talat condemned the attacks against Derya and stated that "laws" must be introduced so that similar attacks and insults not to be able to take place in the future. He also described the harsh comments made against Derya inconceivable and called on the organizations which have members who made these kinds of comments to dismiss these members from their ranks. He also said that the attacks are against the freedom of opinion and the freedom of speech.

Talat also accused the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu of not exerting any international effort as regards the Cyprus problem and of isolating further the Turkish Cypriots. He also said that the non-election of Eroglu in the "TRNC presidency" will send a strong message to the world. Talat finally added that Eroglu not only in the Cyprus problem but also in "internal issues" harms the Turkish Cypriot community.

In addition, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris (19.12.14) reports that Serdar Denktas, self-styled economy, tourism, culture and sport minister and Chairman of Democratic Party (DP) called on persons who make accusations against the Turkish army to come to reason.

Denktas stated that it is not right to forget how the "country" was created, where they have come from, what they have been put through and what dangers they have faced. However, Denktas stated thay is one thing to condemn with strong language statements that someone does not agree with, and another thing to insult the person.

[04] Turkish Cypriot daily to AKP Deputy: "You are the one that should apologize"

Recalling that Oz described Derya's statements as "immoral" and called on her to apologize or else he would file a lawsuit against her, the paper reports, inter alia, the following: "[?] We wonder, to whom he will file this criminal complaint? To the TRNC police and attorney general's office? And our police and attorney will get into action, take Dogus' deposition and try her afterwards by lifting her immunity. Is that so?

Then why are you waiting sir? Start immediately. Dogus will not apologize to you. Do not wait in vain, because she did nothing to apologize for. She only said the realities which you still do not want to accept. She only should be rewarded not punished, because she had the courage to say these. [?] What do you think? You think that the Turkish army invaded the island and did not even touch the unarmed innocent Greek Cypriots? Is that so? It did not rape women. It protected them with compassion! Go on! Do not wait. Run to the court. Let us open this file of the rapes thanks to you. Let all the world come and watch. Let us see how many Greek Cypriot women will come and testify in this court.

No one, he says, could accuse the Turkish army of raping. Why is that? All armies in the world are rapists and only the Turkish army is innocent? Only the Turkish army is as pure as the driven snow? If there is someone who should apologize, that is you. Look Japan apologized after 65 years for the rapes of British women by Japanese soldiers. You are not Japanese. You are Turk. Or more correctly, you are Ottoman! If the Japanese are told that they are bribed, they commit hara-kiri. You, however, hang those who tell you that! [?]"

(I/Ts.)

[05] 2015 financial "budget" approved

[06] EVKAF: Antiquities smuggling is still continuing

Under the title "Smuggling did not end", the paper publishes statements by Ersenal saying that the smuggling of antiquities in Cyprus started in the 19th century by foreigners who legally purchased Cyprus' wealth and took it to their countries.

Ersenal has launched an initiative for promoting the antiquities taken out of Cyprus in the 1800's. Within this framework, copies of these antiquities will be made and exhibited as a protest. The first part of this campaign took place in September at occupied Agia Irini village under the title "Alasya is reborn".

(I/Ts.)

[07] The Mayor of occupied Lefkosia held a meeting with the Italian ambassador to Cyprus

According to the paper, during the meeting the two men discussed how the bi communal projects and initiatives are affecting positively the peace process in Cyprus.

[08] Demirtas: Continued rule of AKP may lead to civil war

Turkey needs the rule of the HDP in order to be able to attain peace and serenity, Demirtas said on Dec. 17, delivering a speech at a convention of the HDP in the Eastern Anatolian province of Igdir.

"Turkey will not go on this way anymore; it cannot go on like this. Believe me, if the AKP government rules this country for another four years, then something called Turkey may not exist anymore," he said, using remarkably combative language.

"It will fall into pieces amid the danger of a very big civil war and very big chaos. If we cannot build true peace and join hands, then they will turn [the country] into Syria. They will turn it into a country like Syria where people slaughter each other every day. You have seen what ISIL [the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant] has done, what the Taliban has done in Pakistan just yesterday [Dec. 16]," Demirtas said, referring to a recent Taliban attack on a school in which Taliban gunmen massacred more than 100 children in Peshawar.

"We will not let this understanding, which massacres people day and night and without considering whether they are children, to settle and gain power in this country," he said.

The AKP has been in possession of all state resources for the last 12 years, HDP co-chair Demirtas said, adding that it has not resolved a "single problem".

"The AKP government has been in power through all this time, with all resources in its hands. They have turned from being a political party into the state itself, but there is not a single problem that has been resolved," he said.

Noting that while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during his Prime Ministry from early 2003 to summer 2014, described the Kurdish people as "the very dearest" to him, Demirtas said this was just empty rhetoric.

"Twelve years have passed and we are only 'the very dearest' for Tayyip Erdogan. The Kurdish people still don't have the right to education in their mother tongue and don't have the right to establish a party with its own identity," he said.

[09] Zaman daily's chief editor is charged under anti-terror laws

Hidayet Karaca, the general manager of Turkey's leading national TV station, Samanyolu, was also charged under the anti-terrorism law. The government-backed operation against these two prominent journalists and a number of other media professionals has been blasted by opposition parties and media organizations for undermining freedom of the press.

The government has also been criticized for the timing of the operation, as it came right before the anniversary of two major graft probes that were made public on Dec. 17 and 25 of last year. The government aims to divert the public's attention away from allegations of corruption, opposition parties maintain.

In a clear sign of the serious violations of due process in the detention and arraignment hearings, the defence lawyers of detained journalists Dumanl? and Karaca have been kept in dark, preventing the lawyers from pursuing their client's rights. Following a lengthy interrogation, both journalists -- whose four-day detention is a punishment in itself -- were taken to the Istanbul Courthouse.

Police began to question Dumanli and Karaca on Wednesday, the last day that they could be legally detained. Both journalists were questioned for at least seven hours. After leaving the police department, Dumanl? vowed not to bow to "Yazids" -- a reference to a despotic ruler in the eighth century whose name has been used to describe repressive leaders. Dumanl? also chanted a slogan as he was escorted away from the police department, saying that "there is no way back from democracy."

The law has been violated in various ways during the detention period of the suspects, who were not allowed to know -- due to a confidentiality order on the investigation -- what they were accused of until they were questioned. Hasan Y?lmaz, one of the prosecutors in charge of the operation, interrogated the suspects at the Istanbul Police Department rather than at the prosecutor's office, a move which is highly unusual.

[10] Opinion poll shows Turkish support for EU membership at record low

The survey found that only 28% of Turks think that Turkish membership to the EU would be "a good thing", while 39% thinks that joining the union would be bad and 25% stated that it would be neither good nor bad, while the other 8% refused to answer the question.

Another survey by the EU's polling organization, which measured public opinion of more than 32 thousand people, revealed that only 28% of Turkish respondents support Turkey's EU membership. The survey shows that Turkish support declined by 10% compared to the previous survey conducted six months ago.

In response to a question whether Turkey will benefit full membership of the EU, 54% of respondents said no and only 36% chose to answer yes.

[11] Turkey appeals an ECHR ruling on compulsory religion classes in schools

The ECHR had ruled in a Sept. 16 by decision that the Turkish education system was "still inadequately equipped to ensure respect for parents' convictions" and violated the "right to education," in a case stemming from Alevi complaints on mandatory religious classes.

Turkey appealed to the ECHR's Grand Chamber, the court's office of appeal, on the last day available to do so, requesting that the case be reviewed.

In 2011, applicants Mansur Yalc?n, Yuksel Polat and Hasan K?l?c, who are all adherents of the Alevi faith and whose children were at secondary school at the time, complained that the content of the compulsory classes on religion and ethics in high schools was based exclusively on the Sunni understanding of Islam.

They claimed that this violated Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights Protocol No. 1 (right to education).

"Turkey has to remedy the situation without delay, in particular by introducing a system whereby pupils could be exempted from religion and ethics classes without their parents having to disclose their own religious or philosophical convictions," the court had stated in its ruling in the case of Mansur Yalcin and Others vs. Turkey. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

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