CHP files criminal complaint against state-run TRT head

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Main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) Istanbul provincial branch on July 12 filed a criminal complaint against state-run network TRT’s General Manager Zahid Sobacı.

CHP demanded Sobacı be punished for the crimes of “preventing the right to benefit from public services,” “preventing the use of political rights” and “abuse of office” due to the minimal coverage given to the main opposition party and its leader during the election campaign.

CHP Istanbul chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu made a press statement in front of the courthouse and said TRT follows a biased broadcasting policy since Sobacı has been in charge, ANKA News Agency reported.  

“Especially during the election period, TRT worked not as a state television, but as the propaganda machine of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). We would like to state that the mentality that ignores our Chair (Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu) and our party has left a black mark on our history of democracy,” Kaftancıoğlu said. 

She said those responsible for “this injustice” must also be held accountable before the law and added that “the TRT did what a television channel should do for the AKP and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to win the election.”

Kaftancıoğlu noted that CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu, senior executives and lawmakers of the party were never invited to a live broadcast during the election campaign process. She said Kılıçdaroğlu has been invited to the channel only once since 2016.

“Most of the news about CHP on TRT screens is negative. The speeches of our Chair are either not broadcast at all or are not broadcast completely. We file a complaint to the prosecutor's office against the TRT General Manager, who prevents the public from getting news about all these issues, does not allow us to exercise and announce our political rights, and abuses his office. Our search for justice and our march will continue,” she added.

The opposition says that the TRT and state owned Anadolu Agency act as manipulation tools under the control of the government even though they should provide independent oversight as publicly funded institutions.

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