ALBAWABA - RTÜK suspends Deha, Yabani, and other series for two weeks, citing violations of national values.
The censorship board of RTÜK removed several Turkish television programs, including The Genius (Deha), The Savage (Yabani), The Homeless, and The Back Alleys (Arka Sokaklar), from the air for a period of two weeks due to their violent content.
More specifically, Turkish sources indicated that The Back Alleys was prohibited because it dealt with the subject of marriages between minors and murders committed by members of a religious sect in a manner that is incompatible with the ideals of the country.
According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expressed his discontent with the content of the final episode of the series, "We see that films, TV series, and TV programs target our religious values that conflict with the principles and values of our families." Erdogan made this statement.
The decision of the Turkish RTÜK censorship board to suspend the two series for a period of two weeks, in addition to halting the broadcast of "The Savage" and "The Homeless," came as a surprise to a number of viewers who were fans of both programs.
In addition, the Chairman of RTUK, Abu Bakr Shahin, issued a statement on his social media accounts, in which he addressed the circumstances that led to the decision to censor content. He said, "We continue to take strict measures regarding films and series that conflict with our national and spiritual values." As I have stated previously, it is impossible for any broadcaster to bring shame upon our religious, social, and cultural values by giving in to the desire to achieve higher ratings. Tolerating the normalization of violence in society, particularly violence against women, through publications is something that we cannot condone.
He proceeded by saying, "We also do not tolerate publications in news programs that violate the principles of the journalism profession."
He continued by saying, "During our regular weekly meeting, we made decisions on a wide range of severe penalties, including televisions that broadcast advertisements for illegal betting." Putting the principles of publication into practice in a stringent manner is our responsibility. I would like to express my gratitude to the publishers who bear this responsibility.
