Defending secularism is a duty

News Centre

The process of summoning individuals who signed the ‘We Defend Secularism Together’ declaration, targeted by the ruling party, continues. Among the first 168 signatories of the declaration are 90-year-old veteran Marxist economist Prof. Dr. Korkut Boratav, poet Ahmet Telli, the LEFT Party Spokesperson İlknur Başer, and journalist İsmail Arı, followed by BirGün Ankara Representative Nurcan Gökdemir, Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) General Secretary Özgür Topçu, academics Elif Çongur and Aylin Topal, and dozens of others.

In her statement, Çongur said, "We defended secularism in our security statements, thankfully."

Gökdemir also said in her statement: "I spent about 20 years of my professional life as a parliamentary correspondent. I personally followed all the constitutional amendments and changes to the Turkish penal code after 1986 as a correspondent. I am very familiar with both texts, and I know that the statements in the declaration are not criminal. The principle of secularism guarantees that all segments of society live in peace and that everyone can freely practise their faith. Therefore, defending secularism does not mean inciting the public to hatred and animosity; that was my intention when I signed the declaration. Defending secularism is a duty given to all citizens by the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey." Ministry of National Education filed a criminal complaint with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on 20 February against the individuals who prepared and published the secularism declaration, alleging ‘inciting the public to hatred and hostility’, ‘publicly disseminating misleading information’, ‘insulting state institutions’ and ‘insulting public officials in relation to their duties’. The petition, which requested a public prosecution against the 168 individuals who signed the declaration, alleged that the activities were ‘defined by concepts such as Talibanisation and the imposition of Sharia law, and that religious values were equated with barbarism and terrorism.’

WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

Following attacks by some Sharia-supporting groups on the LEFT Party members and buildings, 168 individuals, including writers, academics and journalists, signed a statement titled ‘We defend secularism together’. The statement, which was first targeted by AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was also linked by Education Minister Yusuf Tekin to the Ramadan circular sent to schools. Tekin stated that they had filed a lawsuit against the signatories.

Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Laikliği savunmak bir görevdir, published in BirGün newspaper on March 3, 2026.