The north’s ‘government’ was on Tuesday night challenged in ‘parliament’ over its “silence” regarding the ongoing trial of Cypriot journalist Ali Kismir, who faces up to 10 years in jail for “insulting” the Turkish Cypriot armed forces.
Opposition party CTP ‘MP’ Sami Ozuslu spoke on the matter as ‘parliament’ was discussing Turkish Cypriot news agency Tak’s budget, and began by asking the ruling coalition about its priorities, especially given that the ‘parliamentary’ legal committee approved a bill in October last year which would have seen Kismir acquitted.
Despite this, that bill has not yet been brought to a plenary session.
“While you are giving urgency to bills to increase the number of casinos without limit, closing down trade unions, and issuing decrees with the force of law, are you ignoring the fact that a journalist is facing prison?” he asked.
He then invited ruling coalition ‘MPs’ to attend the next phase of Kismir’s trial on Thursday, and warned of the implications of the next steps of the trial, with it having been reported that Kismir may now be tried in custody
“Put your hand on your heart and imagine a journalist being arrested and tried, being taken out of a police vehicle in handcuffs and brought to court. Let us change this law. Let us change this anachronistic law. Let us change this law which was passed after the coup d’état in Turkey [in 2016]. Do not put a black mark on your forehead like putting thought on trial,” he said.
He added, “if Kismir is arrested and tried, if he is convicted, the only person responsible for this is you.
“You cannot be so stubborn. Are you waiting for a sign? Which nation are you representing? Ask yourselves these questions. The day after tomorrow may be too late. Come and turn back from this mistake. What are you afraid of? What is this silence of yours? Why do you not move to ensure the law be changed? It is half an hour’s work.”
He then offered the floor to ruling coalition ‘MPs’, and a small number of them did offer mixed responses.
‘Education minister’ Nazim Cavusoglu came out in agreement with Ozuslu, saying, “my opinion is clear: thought should never be a crime, and we defend the freedom of thought”.
However, ruling coalition party UBP deputy leader Sunat Atun said his party’s leadership “will not respond on this matter”, and former ‘parliament speaker’ Zorlu Tore accused Ozuslu of “making a fait accompli” and “imposing fascist policies by using this platform”.
Fellow UBP ‘MP’ and daughter of former Turkish Cypriot leader Dervish Eroglu, Resmiye Canaltay, told Ozuslu, “there is no person or possibility to get into these issues tonight”.
“We will discuss the issue in another agenda item. There is no point in prolonging this any further. We are tired. Show some understanding,” she said.
Ozuslu’s intervention on the matter comes after five diplomatic missions in Cyprus offered their support to Kismir.
US ambassador in Nicosia Julie Davis Fisher described the trial as “a critical moment for press freedom”, adding that “decisions taken during his trial will demonstrate either a commitment to a free and independent press or reveal an effort to suppress journalism.
“We reiterate our support for Kismir’s rights.”
Meanwhile, the British High Commission, and the embassies of Ireland, the Netherlands, and Switzerland issued a joint statement in which they said they were “concerned by any attempts to restrict press freedom, silence debate, or intimidate journalists”.
“We believe people must be able to debate issues freely and make informed decisions, supported by access to information from a strong, robust, and independent media. We are concerned about the potential implications of the Ali Kismir case on media freedom and will continue to monitor developments closely,” they said.
Kismir was put on trial after he had likened the headquarters of the ‘TRNC security forces command’ to a “brothel” in a post on Facebook in 2020, after the building had allegedly been visited by representatives of Ersin Tatar in the run-up to that October’s Turkish Cypriot leadership election.
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