ANKARA
A group of Turkish lawyers have filed a criminal complaint against media corporations that broadcast the statements of Fethullah Gulen, the leader of the "Gulenist Terrorist Organization".
"We also filed a criminal complaint against [Turkey's] Supreme Board of Radio and Television, RTUK, which normally does not hesitate to impose a fine on television networks for the slightest matter," president of the Law and Democracy Association, Mehmet Ali Canli, told reporters at the Ankara Courthouse on Wednesday.
According to the petition, Samanyolu, S Haber, Mehtap, Bugun and Kanalturk television networks; dailies Today's Zaman, Zaman and Meydan; herkul.org website; and satellite television providers Digiturk, D-Smart, Tivibu and Teledunya were "committing a crime by broadcasting/reporting the statements of Fethullah Gulen, a designated terrorist leader".
Such broadcasts, "which praise a criminal, and subject viewers to terrorist propaganda" must be banned, the petition said.
"There are also concerns that there may be people within RTUK who aid and abet the aforementioned terrorist organization," it said, adding: "The board has so far failed to impose a single fine on media corporations that spread terrorist propaganda; and failed to consider complaints in this regard, with any investigation launched for this purpose proving fruitless."
The petition also asked the Presidency of Telecommunication and Communication [TIB] to block access to the herkul.org website for broadcasting Gulen's speeches, saying other media corporations refer to this website in their stories.
"The media corporations in question must also be taken over by the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund [TMSF], and their affiliations examined by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board [MASAK]," it added.
Called the “Gulenist Terrorist Organization” by the Turkish government, the Gulen movement, led by U.S.-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, is accused of plotting to overthrow the government by infiltrating state institutions, mainly the police and the judiciary.
Gulen supporters are accused by the government of engaging in long-term wiretapping on high-ranking government officials and mounting a coup d'etat attempt through a graft investigation in December 2013, which had targeted former Cabinet members.
