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October 16th 1998
The Association of Cartoonists Istanbul
Nazire Dedeman
Founder President of Umut Foundation
Speech Text
A society constituted of citizens who know their rights, its contents, its coverings and its limits, who seek those rights through legal means, who own a developed sense of justice and a developed belief in justice, are the circumstances to become a state of law. Moreover, the state of law is an umbrella which the government isnt unconcerned with the rights and the freedoms of the individuals, the citizens adopt the ideal of the state of law and assure the development and the independence of the state of law. Unfortunately, we arent a state of law suitable to this description.
To be in a belief that justice wont be revealed makes the brutal force stand still due to the lack of means. Citizens seek the escape in paranormal forces. What I mean is showed in the recent political events. My son Umuts law suit is a law suit cost to the public opinion. Yes, my justice conception is at the same time a touchstone point affecting the citizens Law and Fair world belief and is a law suit in which our justice level is examined. Is there any institutions protecting the independence of judiciary and its insecurity? There should be. Dirt fell on the Law. The institutions are supposed to undertake this dirt and clean it.
The events of my sons murder has been distorted by forensic polices and competent authorities and the evidences were abolished. In despite of this truth, as all of us know, the judge has imposed a penalty of eighteen million five hundred thousand TL (18,500,000 TL) to the accused for the crime of causing a death because of imprudence and inattention. And the Supreme Court has approved this penal from the general principal of it is the accused who benefits from uncertainty.
So, our pursuit of justice within the rules of the state of law has ended with disappointment. It didnt also satisfy the conscience of the public opinion. We couldnt have accepted this situation as a citizen and we didnt after all
I made the judiciary to get into the act after my statement I made in front of the public, which was like a notice, about the authorities who caused the constitution of another crime by abolishing the evidences in the preliminary investigation phase. Yes, the judiciary got into the act. I dont know what kind of action it was but I found myself in the dock instead of the authorities who should be the accused. But when I didnt see a smallest move on the beam from the judiciary in the time passed, I filed a criminal complaint last days by applying personally to the prosecution office for the investigation which the Public Prosecution Office had to start on its own but didnt start somehow. However, the prosecution office declared to proceed no further without examining our application which has very serious basis, even without listening our witnesses. Despite this verdict of non-prosecution, we have used our right of objection in a proper manner and we are eagerly waiting the result.
In todays Radikal Newspaper, I read the news, which I think is concerning all of us and is related to our subject, entitled Dancing with the mafia is legal with the decision of the ministry in which the judiciary members who participated to a mafia wedding were acquitted by the ministry. It is really sad.
A government which its legislation, its execution and its judiciary are not processed is an order without justice so the scales of justice we know to be unbalanced for a long time became out of order.
At this very moment, the only and most important way to get rid of this nightmare is to scream, to revolt by any means, to say we want justice, to multiply this voice and to collaborate.
Because, all of us needs to live in a fair world. A real state of law would be founded only with the conscious and honorable struggle of its citizens who deserve that kind of state.
Caricature is a smart and fine communication tool. It is a very fine art on transferring the feelings, the ideas, the attitudes and the values. It requires skillfulness. I sincerely congratulate caricature artists. Plus, I congratulate all the caricaturists who won an award.
I would like to extend my thanks to the President of the Associations of Cartoonists Dear Metin Peker and to all the members of the association on behalf of Mr Metin Peker for this award that has honored me and for their social sensivity.
For a future full of hope and justice
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