The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) decided to impose a broadcasting ban on the Turkish television station Haber Türk on the grounds of writer Sevan Nişanyan's thoughts on the "Armenian genocide". Nişanyan was guest at the program "One to one" hosted by Fatih Altaylı and had referred to the killing of a huge number of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

RTÜK took the decision on 15 June and notified Haber Türk on 21 June. The Council indicated that Nişanyan, one of several guests in the program, "exceeded the limits of criticism" with his statements that allegedly "humiliated the Republic of Turkey".

RTÜK defines limits of criticism

RTÜK suspended the broadcast of one program of "One to one". The "One to one" program on issue was broadcasted on 9 March 2010 at 8.00 pm during the process when the Armenian Bill was accepted by the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

The Council based the punishment on article 4(i) of Law no. 3984 on the Establishment of Radio and Television Enterprises and their Broadcasts as amended by Law no. 4756 on "Broadcasting Standards".

Accordingly, "broadcasts shall not offend the personality of individuals beyond the limits of criticism, shall respect the right of reply and rectification". Haber Türk can apply to the Administrative Court to annul the decision.

The decision signed by 1^st Law Counsellor lawyer Arslan Narin, demanded to suspend the program on 13 July at 8.00 pm and replace it by a program prepared by RTÜK without commercials. The notification of punishment was to be read out prior to the program and written information that the program was suspended and which broadcasting standards had been violated was to be shown in 10 minute intervals.

Criticism of state policies

Author Nişanyan said in the program, "Terrible events happened in 1915. A whole society who had been living here for thousands of years was expelled from their home country and was subjected to tyranny and injustice. [...]The state policies in Turkey say that this is a lie and that they do not care about our feelings and they do their best to oppress and silence these feelings. I think these policies have softened a little throughout the past two to three years. At least, they stepped back from completely ignoring it. But when we look at recent speeches of the government, we see very clearly that the basic mentality has not changed [...]".

Warning for "Lady's farm"

Moreover, RTÜK issued a warning to Kanal D by reason of an episode of the series "Lady's farm" broadcasted on 19 March 2010. The character "Güllü", featured by actress Özgü Namal, cursed her father and older brother in the episode on subject. According to RTÜK, the broadcast was "opposing national and moral values of society and the structure of the Turkish family". (EÖ/VK)