Unlawful accreditation ban against Today’s Zaman reporter ends

Ali Aslan Kılıç, Today's Zaman's chief parliamentary reporter. (Photo: Cihan)
Ali Aslan Kılıç, Today's Zaman's chief parliamentary reporter. (Photo: Cihan)


Date posted: August 6, 2015

Today’s Zaman’s chief parliamentary reporter Ali Aslan Kılıç, who was denied access to the Parliament building in March after his entry card was revoked, received his new card on Wednesday after a court ruling in his favor.

Last month, the 1st Chamber of Ankara’s Regional Administrative Court ruled for an injunction on Kılıç’s ban and the revocation of his access card to Parliament on the grounds that the ban “obstructs the defendant from doing his job and will bring about irreparable damage.”

Kılıç received the accreditation ban after former Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy Cuma İçten filed a complaint with the Press Relations Board of Parliament against Kılıç, accusing the journalist of insulting him. The board decided to revoke Kılıç’s card without even hearing his defense.

Kılıç firmly denies insulting İçten and asserts there were many journalists who witnessed him asking İçten a question about his claims regarding the Gülen movement, also known as Hizmet, a grassroots social initiative inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

The Ankara court cited Article 14 of the Regulation on the Work of the Press at Parliament, which states that “any member of the press who commits acts or engages in behavior that violates the safety and respectability of Parliament will have their correspondent’s card revoked by the relevant administrative officer.”

Stating that the alleged action must be proven for Article 14 of the regulation to be enforced, the court ruled that an individual cannot be punished solely on the basis of a complaint petition. “In this regard, the fact that the plaintiff put forward a complaint petition with immaterial statements when he should have proven in the investigation ‘how and with what actions and words’ the alleged deed took place demonstrates an incompatibility with the law.”

Congratulating Kılıç after the journalist received his new card, Republican People’s Party (CHP) parliamentary group deputy chairman Engin Altay said that imposing arbitrary sanctions and restrictions on journalists is unacceptable in democracies.

Another CHP deputy, Mahmut Tanal, said the treatment faced by Kılıç could only take place in authoritarian regimes, adding that the necessary measures need to be taken to prevent similar incidents from taking place.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy Özcan Yeniçeri said those who are behind the revocation of Kılıç’s card, including former Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek, owe Parliament an apology.

Source: Today's Zaman , August 05, 2015


Related News

Kimse Yok Mu extends hand to Syrian refugees

Around 100 volunteer families from the organization deliver aid boxes to the Syrian refugees every week. Syrian people who are in need of proper assistance expressed their gratitude with the aid assistance.

Hizmet Movement discussed at Mexico’s UNAM

A group of Turkish, American and Mexican academics came together at National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) to discuss the Hizmet Movement’s progression from past to present.

Erdogan’s Turkey silencing dissent, abusing terrorism charges – HRW report

Turkey’s prolonged and arbitrary detention of journalists, human rights defenders, and politicians following the 2016 coup attempt have set back the country’s human rights record, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2020 published on Tuesday.

Gülen movement has no political agenda

Professor Ahmed al-Tayyib, the rector of al-Azhar University in Egypt, who believes the Gülen movement and al-Azhar University are of the same mind regarding the balance between secularism and religion, said the Gülen movement is a true representative of Islam because it adopts a moderate approach. “Today, there are many movements having a religious basis; however, most of them serve the interests of a sect, a community or a political purpose,” he told.

Gülen’s lawyer warns about possible doctored tapes

Lawyer Nurullah Albayrak in a written statement referred to lies and defamation about Gülen in the media which have become widespread and said Gülen’s phone calls have been illegally wiretapped. “These calls are reported in the media without taking any ethical principles into consideration,” he said, adding that it is very likely there will be edited phone calls as part of a black propaganda campaign against Gülen.

South Africa welcomes International Festival of Language

The globally acclaimed International Festival of Language and Culture (IFLC) is dedicated to cultivating and educating the youth, creating a platform to share their cultural heritage with their peers around the world and to witness exceptional performances by students of diverse nationalities.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Peace Islands Institute Celebrates 10th Anniversary

TUSKON offers Brazilian investors cooperation in tourism

Turkish businessmen’s helping hands reach out to Romanian flood victims

Sophia Pandya on Hizmet Movement

Hira magazine changes perception of Turkey in Arab world

Lawyer: Female journalist traumatized by abuse, torture at Turkish police station

Kyrgyz president: Those calling Turkish teachers terrorists should see a doctor

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News