13/09/2024 | Writer: Yıldız Tar
RTÜK has once again decided to recommend the promotion of the Big Family Platform as a public service announcement this year. Lawyer Kerem Dikmen highlighted that according to RTÜK’s own regulations, broadcasts must not promote discrimination, arguing that this promotional video is in violation of the law. Dikmen emphasized the illegal nature of the video due to its discriminatory content.
The hate march organized by the LGBTI+-hostile Big Family Platform, is set to take place again this year. Under the slogan “Stop this inhuman incursion,” the march will be held on 15 September in Saraçhane, Istanbul.
Previous marches by the same group were titled “Stop LGBT Propaganda” and “For Our Children, Our Family, For Humanity.” A promotional video for the march has been released, labeling the fundamental rights and freedoms of LGBTI+ people as a form of “socio-cultural terror.” The video also includes footage from the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics and directly targets the LGBTI+ community.
Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) added the promotional video for the anti-LGBT march to its public service announcement list. Despite no decision being made at last week's board meeting, the video was included in RTÜK’s list of suggestions. The recommendation, already published, was approved by a majority vote during the board meeting held on 11 September.
CLICK – Promotion of anti-LGBTI+ march on RTÜK list
“Broadcasting this video as a public service announcement is clearly against the law”
We asked Kaos GL Association Human Rights Programme Coordinator Lawyer Kerem Dikmen about RTÜK's decision to recommend the anti-LGBT march promotional video as a public service announcement. Dikmen stated that RTÜK's actions contradict the law and provided the following statement to KaosGL.org:
“According to its official definition, a public service announcement is an informative and educational video or audio file that RTÜK determines serves the public interest. These are usually prepared by non-governmental organizations, such as associations and foundations, in their respective fields of work. However, the law itself provides guidelines for what cannot be classified as a public service announcement. Article 8 of the Audiovisual Media Law outlines the principles that broadcasting organizations must follow, and these principles should also apply to public service announcements. For instance, they cannot incite hatred, violate human dignity, or discriminate and humiliate individuals. In addition to national legislation, there is also international law on this matter. Given these principles and the content of the video, recommending it as a public service announcement is clearly against the law.”
A lawsuit was filed against the public service announcement broadcast in 2022
The 2022 and 2023 promotional films for the “Big Family Platform” were also broadcast as public service announcements. Kaos GL filed a lawsuit against the 2022 decision, which is now at the Council of State. Lawyer Kerem Dikmen explained the lawsuit process:
“The administrative lawsuit filed by Kaos GL regarding the hate rallies in 2022 was rejected. We had argued that the decision to broadcast the promotional video as a public service announcement was unlawful, as it violated broadcasting principles. The administrative court rejected our case, and the regional administrative court upheld this rejection. We have appealed the decision, and the case is currently under review. We expect a decision by 2025.”
Tags: human rights, media
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