Critics Slam Culture Minister's Suing of Journalist

Theater Critics Association supported Üstün Akmen, Evrensel newspaper columnist who faced non-pecuniary damages of 10,000 liras from Culture Minister for writing a critical article regarding the new draft on Culture Council of Turkey (TÜSAK). 

Çelik’s advocates previously filed for damages against Akmen, saying that the aforementioned article violated their client’s personal rights. 

“My minister, my little Mr Ömer…my culture minister with no culture,” he wrote in the article. 

Theater Critics Association also reminded that Akmen served as International Association of Theatre Critics’s Turkey representative for 9 years. 

“He wrote humorously within limits of criticism” 

The association also emphasized that Üstün Akmen’s articles always had a humorous tone on the common views of theater actors and audience. 

“We would like to let the public know that those who draft a proposal against the art of theater will receive even more criticism,” the association said in a statement. 

“We will take it to the international level”

The aforementioned article criticized the draft proposition, saying that it intervened to the art on the ground of making new restructions. 

The association also said that they would take the case to the international level though International Association of Theatre Critics. (EÖ/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.