İSTANBUL – Many journalists, artists and activists are reacting the increasing detention during the State of Emergency. “They asked everyone to silence and sit down” said artist Lale Mansur. Journalist Aydın Engin “We should be ready to pay more a price for democracy” said.



One of the authors of the Cumhuriyet Newspaper Aydın Engin said “We do understand now why Erdoğan said the coup attempt is ‘a gift from god’. Because Erdoğan doesn’t aim to catch coup plotters. He aims to shut opponents up who objects to implementations of government. He built up a fear empire. People are scaring what if something happened to me. Therefore scared people are abstaining to use their citizenship rights. Especially journalists. I am the one of those journalist who had to pay a price. But there are many journalists who paid more price than me. Struggling for democracy is not carried out softly like Scandinavia countries. Sometime you had to pay the price like we do. Because democracy can’t be gained without paying the price” said Engin.




Engin also pointed that Turkey is returned to an open prison. “They released the people who don’t object the recent policies and irrelevant on politic and jailed people who objects to these policies. We shall not forget that there is a referendum next spring. Referendum will be carried out under the State of Emergency’s conditions. I know the people who will vote ‘no’ are dynamic of the society. Under these conditions will be hard to explain and protest for voting ‘no’ for these people. Therefore we should be ready to pay more price for democracy” said Engin.




Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) Women Council member Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar said assaults against women increased after State of Emergency. “Justice and Development Party (AKP) re-designs society on ignoring women’s rights and incarcerated women in house. The biggest target of AKP is against women. Therefore numerous women discharged from their positions such as co-mayoralty, teachers, politicians and deputyship. Also Journalists, academician women were jailed or discharged” said Uçar.



Democratic Alevis’ Unity (DAD) İstanbul province co-chair Bülent Felekoğlu says this period can’t go any longer. “System is preparing to a conflict period with itself. System will be changed by itself to jailing opponents and make nonfunctional. They will provoke the society on Alevis as they did before in Sivas, Çorum and Maraş” said Felekoğlu.




“ We have to establish a strong defense line. We need to push the government to democratic reforms. But if we don’t be succeed there will be blood. Country is formed as an open prison” mentioned Felekoğlu.




Artist Leyla Mansur “ I can’t predict the future clearly anymore” says. “ People can’t speak about their opinion anymore. They want to everybody to silence and sit down. I never seen such a thing before” said Leyla Mansur.