Defending secularism is vital
The testimony of those who signed the ‘We Defend Secularism Together’ declaration, targeted by the government, continued yesterday. The first 168 signatories of the declaration are giving statements at the Ankara Provincial Police Headquarters as part of an investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on charges of ‘inciting the public to hatred and hostility’.
BirGün\ANKARA
Approximately 20 individuals were interviewed yesterday, including poet Ahmet Telli; BirGün reporters Havva Gümüşkaya and Mustafa Mert Bildircin; journalists Dilan Kutlu and Nisanur Yıldırım; SOL Party spokespersons Önder İşleyen and İsmail Hakkı Tombul; and academics Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fevziye Sayılan and Prof. Dr. Gamze Yücesan Özdemir. Representatives from the TMMOB, KESK and ODTÜ Alumni Association were also interviewed.
In her statement, Havva Gümüşkaya emphasised that the statements in the declaration did not constitute a crime, saying, "I know that the declaration analyses Turkey and the world. The wars happening right next to us show once again that defending secularism is of vital importance. Defending secularism, which is guaranteed by the Constitution, is not a crime. I am a journalist; defending democracy, law, equality, and secularism is both my professional principle and my civic duty. The statement does not target any individual; it is a political criticism, which does not constitute a crime. I believe that those who filed the criminal complaint have distorted the statement by taking it out of context and removing it from its essence. I do not accept the accusations. As part of my profession, I support the struggle of all oppressed segments of society by raising their voices. Defending secularism is not a crime."
UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTIONIS NOT A CRIME
Mustafa Mert Bildircin said in his statement: "I do not believe that the statements in the declaration constitute a crime. I have been an active journalist for eight years. I am familiar with the constitution and criminal law. Therefore, I do not believe that these words, used solely for the purpose of criticism, constitute a crime. The statements in the declaration are not aimed at a specific group or segment. They were used solely to criticise the policies of the regime. The principle of secularism is guaranteed by the Constitution. Therefore, defending the Constitution is not a crime."
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Laikliği savunmak yaşamsal önemde, published in BirGün newspaper on March 4, 2026.
