TRT Former Announcer Sırrı Er: “If the lawlessness had been challenged, the country wouldn’t be in this situation!”

After July 15, 2016, hundreds of thousands of people lost their jobs and their futures overnight.

Nearly 10 years have passed since this period of lawlessness. Families were devastated, lives were lost. Some were branded as “terrorists” through mere profiling, while others were stigmatized without concrete evidence—based solely on suspicion.

This was not merely the loss of employment; it meant families falling apart, hopes fading away, futures being stolen, careers built through years of dedication being taken away without due process, and the fear reflected in the eyes of their children.

For many, the alleged “crime” was being a member of a labor union, joining an association, depositing money in a bank, or becoming the target of false accusations by informants.

More than one hundred thousand applications were submitted to the State of Emergency (OHAL) Commission. A small number of people—primarily after they had already passed away—were reinstated, seemingly to create the appearance that justice had been served.

We are a society that forgets quickly. That is why it is worth remembering what was said. Then Government Spokesperson and Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ made the following statement:

“We did not dismiss these people because they had been tried and found guilty. We dismissed them through an administrative decision because we considered them to have connections or affiliations.”

Had the injustices and unlawful treatment inflicted upon hundreds of thousands of people been challenged at the time, the country would not be where it is today.

This country is our common homeland. No one on this land is more valuable or superior than another.

“One’s manner of expression is a matter of honor.”

This saying conveys a profound principle: the way a person expresses themselves—the language, tone, and manner they choose—directly reflects their character, morality, and integrity.

Cemil Meriç’s famous words, “Your style is your identity,” point to the very same truth. Even the most accurate idea loses its value when expressed with rudeness, vulgarity, or contempt. A person’s style is a mirror reflecting the respect they have both for themselves and for others.

Viewed from this perspective, when confronted with insults, vulgarity, and language devoid of courtesy, one feels ashamed not because of those who use such language, but because they happen to belong to the same society.

Those who mistake profanity, insults, and vulgarity for intellectual achievement ultimately reveal nothing more than their own character. A person’s true nature is reflected not merely in what they say, but in the way they say it.

My hope that this society will truly reform has grown weak. Yet my self-respect, my education, and the values instilled in me by my family prevent me from descending to that level. It is not because I have nothing to say—but because I have far too much to say.

15 Temmuz 2016'dan sonra, yüz binlerce insan bir gecede işinden, geleceğinden koparıldı.

Bu hukuksuzluğun üzerinden yaklaşık 10 yıl geçti. Ocaklar söndü, canlar yitti. Kimi bir fişlemeyle, kimi somut delil olmadan sadece bir şüpheyle "terörist" damgası yedi.

Bu, sadece bir iş… pic.twitter.com/r3O1jSiWrA

— Sırrı Er (@konusmasanati) July 15, 2026