NEWS CENTER - TELE1's screen went black after RTÜK's decision on the grounds that TIP MP Sera Kadıgil criticized Diyanet.

 

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), describing the criticism of the Turkish Workers' Party (TIP) MP Sera Kadıgil against the Diyanet on live broadcast as a crime, blacked out TELE1 screens for 3 days. Following the decision, TELE1 live broadcast has been suspended for 3 days as of tonight. The license of the channel will be revoked as a result of the same penalty being imposed on TELE1 two more times.

 

"Turkey is in darkness! TELE1 has been blacked out for three days" was shared on the TELE1 Twitter account.

 

WHAT HAPPENED?

 

RTÜK sentenced TELE 1 to 3 days of screen blackout with the majority of votes, citing the Diyanet criticism of TİP MP Sera Kadıgil, who has parliamentary immunity. The sentence was based on the statement of Kadıgil, "The Diyanet as such is a political Islamist instrument." After TELE1, RTÜK applied to the judiciary for the annulment and stay of execution of the sentence, and the Ankara 2nd Administrative Court unanimously decided to stay the execution on October 26. However, according to TELE1's statement, the court has now annulled the stay of execution. RTÜK's 3-day screen blackout penalty will be applied until February 25.