TO THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC

 

As closely followed by the entire public, the TV series “Kızıl Goncalar” (Red Roses), broadcast on national television, has been suspended twice and fined 9 million TL on the grounds that it “contradicts the national and spiritual values of society,” adding yet another instance of censorship.

 

Of course, this is not the first time we have encountered such censorship practices. The normalization of censorship, which we frequently see in all areas of art, such as theater, cinema, and TV series, will have consequences more dangerous than censorship itself. Censorship, which confronts us through methods such as punishment, prohibition, investigation, targeting, threats, intimidation, humiliation, obstruction, physical and verbal attacks, criminalization, and othering, threatens the existence of all creative fields and attempts to create a climate of fear.

 

Censorship has become a common cause for all creative fields at the universal level. In our country, Article 64 of the Constitution is clear and unambiguous! "The state protects artistic activities and artists. It takes the necessary measures to protect, evaluate, support, and spread the love of art.“ As stated in the Constitution, artistic activities, or what we call ”Freedom of Artistic Expression," are protected by law.

 

The obstacles to freedom of artistic expression do not only appear in the form of methods such as publication bans and fines. For example: theater plays canceled at the last minute for years under the pretext of renovations, concerts, shows, and exhibitions canceled on the grounds of “public safety,” teams prevented from entering cities, support withdrawn by the ministry, documentaries and movies banned from screening, festivals canceled... The consequences of censorship do not end with the blocking of performances and works! Teams are targeted, thousands of workers are not paid and lose their jobs.

 

Enough is enough! We cannot breathe because of censorship, bans, and restrictions!

 

As labor and professional organizations, we have always stood against censorship on stages, in cinemas, on screens, in studios, everywhere and at all times, and we will continue to do so. Censorship cannot be normalized. We call on all our colleagues to stand together against censorship and its indirect consequences.  

 

We are not alone; we will fight this battle together.

 

Let the obstacles to our artistic freedom of expression be removed, let artists and art workers be free. 

 

 

 

Actors Union

 

Cinema Workers Union (DİSK SİNE-SEN)

 

Cinema Television Union

 

 

 

 

BSB Cinema Producers Association

 

Screenwriters and Dialogue Writers Association (SENARİSTBİR)

 

Cinema Producers Association (SİNEBİR)

 

Cinema Producers Association (SE-YAP)

 

Cinema Actors Professional Association (BİROY)

 

 

 

 

Contemporary Cinema Actors Association (ÇASOD)

 

Film and Stage Design Teams Association (FST)

 

Film Directors Association (FİLM-YÖN)

 

Izmir Theaters Association

 

Post-Production Workers Association (POSTPRODER)

 

Women in Cinema Association

 

 

 

 

Turkish Cinema Foundation (TÜRSAV)

 

 

 

 

Free Arts Assembly

 

 

 

 

Long Live Our Theater Initiative

 

 

 

 

Ahura Theater Cooperative

 

Ankara Theater Cooperative

 

Mediterranean Theater Cooperative

 

Film Koop

 

Filmmor Women's Cooperative

 

Black Sea Theater Cooperative Aegean Theater Cooperative

 

South Marmara Theater Cooperative

 

Theater Cooperative