Social Media Reactions to Announcement of Öcalan's Letter by Academic Özcan

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After the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) reported that Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan sent a letter from prison via Assoc. Prof. Ali Kemal Özcan and made a call to the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) to "remain neutral" in İstanbul Metropolitan Mayoral election rerun on June 23, the letter as well as the way it was shared with the public have stirred reactions on social media.

CLICK - Öcalan's Lawyers Share the Details of Their Meeting with Öcalan and His Messages

CLICK - HDP: Change in Our Election Strategy Out of Question

After it was reported that the content of the letter was announced by Assoc. Prof. Ali Kemal Özcan, the Sociology Department Chair of Tunceli Munzur University, some users have referred to the Academics for Peace who are charged with "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" for having signed the declaration "We will not be a party to this crime."

While academic and journalist Ceren Sözeri said, "The man who says that he values the opinions of Öcalan makes a statement for the press and he is sent to İmralı. (...) We have been sentenced to prison, most of us have been dismissed and deprived of their passports," journalist Banu Güven stated, "Academics were tried and convicted in this country for demanding peace on the allegation that they received instructions from the organization."

Some of these social media messages are as follows:

Adam çıkıp Öcalan'ın görüşlerine kıymet verdiğini söyleyen basın açıklaması yapıyor, İmralı'ya gönderiliyor bizim iddianamede hiçbir kanıt sunulmadan "Bese Hozat'tan talimat aldılar" cümlesi vardı. Hapis cezası aldık, çoğumuz işinden, pasaportundan oldu.

— Ceren Sozeri (@cerensozeri) 20 Haziran 2019

Academic and journalist Ceren Sözeri: "The man who says that he values the opinions of Öcalan makes a statement for the press and he is sent to İmralı. In our indictment, there was a sentence that read, 'They took instruction from Bese Hozat [of PKK].' We have been sentenced to prison, most of us have been dismissed and deprived of their passports."

CLICK - Trials of Academics for Peace

Bu mektubu ben paylaşsam, vakit kaybetmeden TOMA’larla kapıma dayanır, muhtemelen kapıyı kırar, silahlı terör örgütü üyeliğinden beni içeri alırlardı https://t.co/201h8kRKgn

— Nurcan Baysal (@baysal_nurcan) 20 Haziran 2019

Journalist and writer Nurcan Baysal: "If it had been me who shared this letter [of Öcalan], they would not lose time to turn up at my door with Anti-Riot Water Cannon Vehicles (TOMA), probably break my door and imprison me for membership of a terrorist organization."

CLICK - 'How Hard It is to Write the Truth'

HDP’nin İstanbul seçimlerine yönelik seçim stratejisinde ve taktik adımlarında bir değişiklik söz konusu değildir.
Pazar günü oyum Ekrem İmamoğlu’na!
Haydi oy farkını en az 1 Milyon yapalım!

— Garo Paylan - Կարօ Փայլան (@GaroPaylan) 21 Haziran 2019

HDP Diyarbakır MP Garo Paylan: "There is no change in HDP's strategies and tactical steps in İstanbul elections. On Sunday, my vote is to Ekrem İmamoğlu! Come on, let's make the margin of votes at least 1 million!"

CLICK - 'We Believe Discourse of İmamoğlu Should be Supported'

Beyefendi Türkiye koşullarında doğalmış gibi "Öcalan ile TC vatandaşı akademisyen olarak görüştüm" diyor. Akademisyenler barış istediği için örgütten talimat alma iddiasıyla yargılandı ve mahkum oldu bu ülkede! https://t.co/UdpGKeVW1L

— BanuGuven (@banuguven) 21 Haziran 2019

Journalist Banu Güven: "The gentleman says, 'I met with Öcalan as an academic who is a citizen of the Republic of Turkey' as if it was natural in the current conditions in Turkey. Academics were tried and convicted in this country for demanding peace on the allegation that they received instructions from the organization."

Ya Kürtleri yahut Türkleri, kandırılacak çocuk zannedenlerin beyhude çabaları bunlar.

— İrfan Aktan (@irfanaktans) 20 Haziran 2019

Journalist İrfan Aktan: "These are the vain efforts of those who think that Kurds, or the Turks, are children to deceive."

HDP seçmeninde kafa karışıklığı yaratmak için başvurulmadık oyun bırakmadılar. Beyhude bir çaba olarak kalacak. Kürdistan söylemiyle başlayan süreç, dün Ahmet Kaya ve bugün “Öcalan mektubu” ile devam ediyor. Anlaşılan 23 Haziran’da çok fena kaybedecekler! #HerŞeyÇokGüzelOIacak

— FERHAT TUNÇ (@ferhatttunc) 20 Haziran 2019

Musician Ferhat Tunç: "They have left no tricks to play to confuse the HDP voters. It will remain as a vain effort. The process which started with 'Kurdistan' statement [of AKP's İstanbul candidate Binali Yıldırım] continues with Ahmet Kaya yesterday and with 'Öcalan letter' today. They will apparently lose badly on June 23! Everything will be fine."

Kürt seçmen devletin kirli oyunlarına gelmeyecektir.

— Yildirim Turker (@yildirim_turker) 20 Haziran 2019

Writer Yıldırım Türker: "Kurdish voters will not be deceived by dirty tricks of the state."

Öcalan’a muhtaç hale geldiniz demek! https://t.co/MB8ZWckv4w

— Fehim Taştekin (@fehimtastekin) 20 Haziran 2019

Journalist Fehim Taştekin: "So, it means you are now dependent on Öcalan!"

Açık gerçek şuymuş

Selahattin Demirtaş Erdoğan'a boyun eğip farklı bir açıklama yapsa demek ki salıverilmişti.

Bugün Erdoğan Demirtaş'a yönelik tüm haksız ithamların yalan olduğunu itiraf etti.

Demirtaş AKP'nin faşizan baskı rejimine boyun eğmediği için içeride. pic.twitter.com/fkJBmDRZli

— Gürsel Tekin (@gurseltekin34) 20 Haziran 2019

Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Gürsel Tekin: "The obvious truth is this: If Selahattin Demirtaş had given in to Erdoğan and made a different statement, he would have been released. Today, Erdoğan has confessed that all unfair accusations against Demirtaş are a lie. Demirtaş is behind bars because he did not obey the fascist, repressive AKP regime."

ülkenin en politize seçmen grubuna andavallı muamelesi yapıyorlar.

— Mirgun Cabas (@MirgunCabas) 20 Haziran 2019

Journalist Mirgün Cabas: "They are treating the most politicized voters' group of the country as if they were bumpkins."

Madem Öcalan’ın açıklamaları anında Anadolu Ajansı tarafından yayımlanacak kadar önemli, neden yıllardır kimseyle görüşmesine izin verilmedi o zaman? Belki @ersoydede gibi heyecanla mektubu paylaşan birisi açıklar bize. https://t.co/3yCXmayUfH

— Kerem ALTIPARMAK (@KeremALTIPARMAK) 20 Haziran 2019

Legist Kerem Altıparmak: "If Öcalan's statements are so important to be immediately shared by the Anadolu Agency, then, why wasn't he allowed to meet anyone for years? Perhaps someone, for instance, Ersoy Dede, who shared the letter with excitement, would explain it to us." (AÖ/SD)