I support Rouhani in Iran

I know full well that my support has no “combative value”. Moreover, I lack the knowledge to enable me to analyse events in Iran correctly and in depth. In fact, apart from foreign news, there remains no branch of this profession that I have had no involvement with. In my initial period on Cumhuriyet I used to consult my colleague Ergun Balcı with questions about the latest events taking place in the world - what we call “foreign news” - that I was unable to answer; now, for example, I consult Kadri Gürsel.
But, I still most certainly believe in the need to support President Rouhani in Iran, where it is still unclear how things will evolve.
I repeat: This is not some sort of business of me having obtained any news to which you are not privy and I am or having made a hugely in-depth analysis.
My support decision is based, not on Iranian or some such sources, but on the Republic of Turkey Foreign Ministry’s official pronouncement it has made on events in Iran.
Certainly, the AKP Chief has – as in all matters - spoken on the same matter, but I am basing things on official pronouncements.
I quote verbatim the crucial paragraph of the pronouncement by the Foreign Ministry which, in common with all ministers and ministries, takes its political and diplomatic bearings from its Chief:
“...Turkey attaches great importance to friend and brother Iran maintaining its social peace and stability. In this regard, with reference to President Rouhani’s comment that the people are entitled to engage in peaceful protest but there must be no breaking of the law and damaging of public property, we believe that violence must be avoided and provocation must not be succumbed to.”
What was that?
Can there be a genuine democrat or politician who attaches importance to political freedoms and would disagree with the concise sentence that popped out of Rouhani’s mouth and I have spilt ink trying to bring to your attention? Rouhani says, “The people are entitled to engage in peaceful protest,” and the AKP ruling entity’s Foreign Ministry quite clearly indicates that it accedes to the importance, value and correctness of these words.
What more can we ask for?
None less than the AKP ruling entity is hardly going to deny us citizens of the Republic of Turkey what it wishes for the Iranian people, is it?
From now on, “peaceful protest demonstrations” can be held in Ankara’s Yüksel Street in solidarity with Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça with absolutely no police intervention and state bullying.
The police barricades in the same street cordoning off the Human Rights Statue consisting of the figure of a woman reading the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will be removed immediately.
All peaceful protests have been allowed in our country and the police have been tasked, not with preventing protests, but protecting the protestors from possible attacks that may for example come from the warriors of People’s Special Operations.
Our HDP members of parliament, not least Selahattin Demirtaş, who have been determined by the independent judiciary not to have engaged in any act of violence or to have incited violence, will be released immediately and will be enabled to re-engage in legislative activities without let or hindrance.
My friend Enis Berberoğlu will also be released so that he can partake once more in legislative activities with an apology for the legal injustice that has been visited on him.
And you in your town, neighbourhood and road will be able to take part freely in all peaceful demonstrations you have steered clear of out of fear and worry.
These things are normal in a country in which democracy and the rule of law prevail and, from morn to night, rejoice and be full of a sense of gratitude at living in such a country
Does such gratitude fill you?
Disperse without incident now.
If you do not immediately disperse...
You get it, don’t you?