101 politicians, academics, writers and artists from different political backgrounds made a call for the ruling power and the opposition with their video, “Grey-Haired Elders are calling” and the call for democracy was supported by “404 citizens.” Famous names from various professional groups, such as politicians, journalists, lawyers, engineers and teachers including Hikmet Çetin, Zeynep Altıok, Mehmet Tezkan, Fatma Bostan Ünsal, Semra Somersan, Ümit Kıvanç, Cahit Berkay, Menderes Samancılar called the ruling power and the opposition for democracy.
Here is the common statement of the 404 names, expressing that they agree with the evaluation and the call of “101 Grey-Haired Elders.”:
In a country that is becoming more isolated, losing its reputation, drifting away from the understanding of the state of law, where freedoms are restricted, search for rights suppressed with many femicides every day, women’s rights being eliminated, media being monopolized;
In an environment that polarization, hatred and resentment are being fueled;
We watch that our friends and their search for rights are being criminalized, that they are exposed to police violence and unfair convictions; we find that our country, our people, ourselves are under threat.
In order for this situation to change; we would like the government to hear the voices and demonstrations of people and for the opposition to take action in order to establish the widest platform of democracy.
We believe that this is the first, most urgent and necessary step to create a country that is in peace with the world, with all people and its citizens.
12.08.2020
bianet.org