Public diversion tactics in Turkey: the death penalty trap

Murat Yetkin writes: Discussions of the death penalty are coming up just as an Islamist cult leader got arrested on charges of sexually harassing the daughter of one of his disciples and reporting news about the incident got banned supposedly to avoid a bad name about religious sects. The game plan is clearly laid out. It is to make those who oppose the death penalty look like they are defending rapists.

Tuesday September 08 2020 11:37 am

Duvar English

Journalist Murat Yetkin wrote that the recent debate around bringing back the death penalty in Turkey is a game plan of the governing alliance to make those who oppose the death penalty look like they are defending rapists.

In a recent piece he penned for his personal blog, Yetkin underlined the timing of the discussions which came up just as an Islamist cult leader got arrested on charges of sexually harassing the daughter of one of his disciples and reporting news about the incident got banned supposedly to avoid a bad name about religious sects.

"We’ve seen this a thousand times before. The matter will be brought to parliament for this purpose. Then the scope will be broadened to comprise “crimes against the state.” After that, the definition of “crime against the state” will further open up. Finally, it will be narrowed back regarding the sexual crimes, focusing it down so political crimes," Yetkin said.

He also argued that far-right alliance partner of President Erdoğan, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli is aware of a discomfort in his party's ranks concerning the government's recent actions. "From the demand to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention to insulting Atatürk and the Republic during the August 30 debates, many new developments were not well received," Yetkin claimed.

Yetkin's piece in full can be reached here.