Turkey’s media watchdog fines TV channel for broadcasting tragedy of Kurdish family

Turkey’s media watchdog RTÜK has penalized opposition Halk TV with a five-time broadcast cancellation and a monetary fine for broadcasting news about deceased Kurdish Hakan Arslan whose bones were given to his family in a bag.

Wednesday September 14 2022 05:55 pm

This file photo shows Ali Rıza Arslan carrying the bones of his son in a bag.

Duvar English

Turkey's Radio and Television High Council (RTÜK) has issued a monetary fine on opposition TV channel Halk TV and suspended one of its programs for five episodes over broadcasting about a deceased Kurdish young man whose bones were recently given to his family in a bag.

The 28-year-old Hakan Arslan lost his life in clashes during the military curfew declared in Diyarbakır’s Sur district on Dec. 2, 2015. His bones were given to father Ali Rıza Arslan in a bag at the Diyarbakır courthouse on Aug. 29 by Turkish authorities.

RTÜK has penalized Halk TV with a five-time broadcast cancellation and a monetary fine for broadcasting news about Ali Rıza Arslan, RTÜK’s members from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) İlhan Taşçı and Okan Konuralp announced on Sept. 14.

“RTÜK also fined Halk TV in two separate cases over allegedly 'humiliating' Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu. I would like to inform the public that we voted against all three cases together with İlhan Taşçı,” Konuralp said in a tweet.

RTÜK, Ali Rıza Arslan’a oğlunun kemiklerinin yedi yıl aradan sonra torba içinde teslim edilmesine ilişkin değerlendirmeleri, “Terörün amaçlarına hizmet eden sonuçlar doğuracak nitelikte” kabul etti; Halk TV’ye para ve 5 kez program durdurma cezası verdi. (Program: Sözüm Var) (1)
— Okan Konuralp (@okonuralp) September 14, 2022

"RTÜK took on the task of being a protective shield for the ministers. According to RTÜK, any questioning and criticism other than praising the government will now be considered a crime! The target is having a silenced Turkey!" Taşçı said in a different tweet.

1- RTÜK, Diyarbakır Adliyesinde babaya oğlunun kemiklerinin torba içinde verilmesinin eleştirildiği Sözüm Var programı nedeniyle Halk TVye “terörün amaçlarına hizmet edecek” nitelikte yayın yapıldığı gerekçesiyle 5 kez program durdurma,% 5 de para cezası verdi. Karar oyçokluğuyla
— İlhan Taşcı (@ilhantasci) September 14, 2022