Necip F. Bahadir
Today, I will briefly touch upon a few topics. Discussions over “who is responsible” for the Grand Kartal Hotel fire in Turkey, which claimed the lives of 78 people, continue unabated. Bülent Arınç, who has clearly stepped outside the AKP’s boundaries and lost his affiliation with the party, reiterated Bolu Municipality’s statement, “We are not a metropolitan municipality, so this is not our responsibility,” during a program and added, “They are right!” He noted that the “authority and responsibility” belong to the Ministry of Tourism. If you recall, a similar statement had previously been made by former AKP MP Şamil Tayyar, who said the municipality had no jurisdiction in that area.
Arınç’s remarks will not be recorded as a “gain” for the CHP or the opposition, nor as a “loss” for the government. They will not determine the fate or outcome of the debate. The judiciary investigating the incident will not heed Şamil Tayyar or Bülent Arınç and will not strive for “justice.” The Minister of Tourism will not take responsibility out of conscience. If someone is held accountable, it will not happen now; it will wait for a suitable time, perhaps after the matter cools down. Maybe someone will lose their position, but a breach in the AKP’s fortress will not occur.
However, Arınç’s “disruptive remarks” should still be noted. Another inner voice has spoken out within the AKP. With striking tone and content, he warned his “friends.” Before I delve into this, I’d like to immortalize an image that I cannot let be lost amid the intensity of current events. And leave a note in history.
Dragging Women and Kicking Them on the Ground!
A few days ago, a photo from Ankara’s Ulus Square briefly appeared in the public eye and quickly vanished. It was one of those images summarizing AKP’s era of governance. Neither the opposition appreciated its significance, nor did it receive the attention it deserved on social media. A group gathering to announce an event by the Furkan Foundation encountered police resistance. It wasn’t a political protest or demonstration. Announcing or marching for an event is a constitutional right—but try explaining that to the police.
Furkan Foundation’s female volunteers were dragged and kicked by the police…
The police’s harsh intervention led to a scuffle, as happens in almost every incident. And, as seen before, a plainclothes officer pounced on a woman who had fallen and hit and kicked her. I know this isn’t the first time women have been subjected to “police violence.” Young women being dragged on the ground, women being detained by force—it has become commonplace during the AKP era. It has become normalized. But it shouldn’t. It must be opposed, even protested. And it must never be forgotten or allowed to be forgotten.
I’m reluctant to emphasize that the woman dragged through the square was wearing a headscarf, but since it shatters AKP’s rhetoric and policy of “Our veiled sisters!” I must underline it. She was a devout, headscarf-wearing woman, likely in her 30s. Probably one of those who came to announce the Furkan Foundation’s event. Or a citizen supporting them.
What’s the Source of This Fear?
It was just a simple announcement—a religious and cultural event. All communication channels, advertising, announcement boards for the foundation are closed. They have no means of reaching people except face-to-face contact. A handful of people did just that. A harmless announcement.
Why would a male officer assault and kick a woman who was already pinned to the ground? What law or regulation gives him the “right to strike”? Does one have to be aligned with AKP-affiliated groups to take to the streets? Does no one else have the right to be heard in public squares? What is the source of this fear, this oppression, this violence, and this fury?
The Ministry announced an investigation into the footage. Too late… And we know from experience that nothing significant comes out of these investigations. Will it prevent another instance of police violence? Will it deter future incidents? Highly unlikely. The police will continue acting as they please, emboldened by the political authority tolerating their every act of violence. How many such cases have there been? Who knows how many more will follow?
The incident wasn’t limited to police violence against a woman. Thirty-four people were detained. The state news agency even reported that Alparslan Kuytul was among those detained. The agency used unverified information. Kuytul had to clarify, “No, I am at home, not in custody.”
Clearly, there’s another agenda…
Kuytul’s comment was: “These oppressions teach us patience, struggle, and courage. They bring us closer to God’s mercy and earn us the affection of people with a conscience. We have no losses; we only gain.”
An Inner Voice Rises from AKP: Stop the Lawlessness!
And now, a voice from within the AKP… Amid recent events, Hüseyin Kocabıyık, a former AKP MP, expressed his “discomfort” on social media and issued serious “warnings” to his party. His message is a solid and historic caution. Kocabıyık, as far as I know, is an academic and intellectual figure. He conveyed his message in plain language everyone could understand.
Look at these words: “Friends managing the state, judges, prosecutors, governors… Stop the lawlessness. Don’t oppress people. Don’t cast a shadow of fear over society. Tomorrow, a prosecutor might accuse those who made and implemented these decisions, and even the sensationalist journalists supporting them, of ‘Attempting to Establish an Unconstitutional State’ and open cases seeking life sentences. For a long time, you and your families may suffer the same pain as those you wronged today. Humanity doesn’t regress. Believing in concepts like the ‘New Normal’ and mistaking lawlessness for politics will lead to very dark days. Let me warn you in advance…”
Hüseyin Kocabıyık seems to know what’s coming. He even named the case: “Attempting to Establish an Unconstitutional State.” The most severe crime in democracies. When I read his words, I sense that his remarks are much more than an ordinary warning, carrying profound and serious meanings both directly and between the lines. How can we ignore or overlook his statement as an “inner voice”: “Very dark days await us…”
Digging a Tunnel into Prison!
Lastly, a topic that borders on dark humor… Zafer Party Leader Ümit Özdağ was arrested and imprisoned in Silivri. To keep him company and ensure the matter remains in the spotlight, party members set up a tent outside the prison. Can AKP tolerate this, given its discomfort with a veiled woman’s announcement? Apparently not. A party official’s message reveals that the gendarmerie intervened and dismantled the tent.
Zafer Party Leader Ümit Özdağ was arrested last week on charges of “inciting hatred and hostility.”
One of Özdağ’s aides, Mustafa Gündoğdu, shared the following message: “Our tent outside Silivri Prison was dismantled on the absurd pretext that ‘they might dig a tunnel to help Ümit Özdağ escape.’”
Thinking it’s possible to dig a tunnel from a tent into the heavily fortified Silivri Prison… Who could come up with such a ridiculous conspiracy theory? Once, people were accused of planning to build a road under the sea to rescue Adnan Menderes from Yassıada; it later became a joke.
Here are the news and human stories from our country… Whether you laugh or cry is up to you…
