Yıldırım comments on the contentious decree (27.12.2017)

Prime-Minister Binali Yıldırım has commented on the measure introducing “judicial immunity for civilians” that was included in Decree with the Force of Law number 696. Yıldırım made the following remarks:
 
“It is our moral obligation to protect these people”
 
“If there are citizens who rise to the demands of the circumstances with an eye on the country’s and the people’s future so as to prevent a coup, and there are, and millions went into the street on the evening of 15 July, it is our moral obligation to protect these people. The contrary would be to give a nod and a wink to coups. This would amount to deprecating citizens’ decisive stance and courage in the face of coups. The issue must be treated on the correct basis.”
 
“Let nobody take it in another direction”
 
“The measure introduced is a measure aimed at protecting those of our citizens who went into the street to prevent the coup attempt and the incidents that occurred in its wake and put their lives on the line. The issue is this clear and plain. Let nobody take it in another direction.
 
This talk is all empty talk, let me put this bluntly. The reason is as follows. There was a coup in our country on 15 July and on 16 July the will of the nation came to predominate through crushing the coup attempt and the terrorist incidents in its wake
 
I wish to ask if those who express such views and especially the main opposition party if they were against the coup or not? The people came out onto the street at the time of the coup and everyone, having official duties or not, who stood up for their country, flag and nation opposed this coup.”
 
“Absolutely no correction will be made and there is no problem with its wording and such like.”
 
“There can consequently be no more correct thing that to place those of our citizens who staged opposition to the coup under legal protection. Opposing this is to say to our citizens, ‘Why did you come out against the coup?’ Absolutely no correction will be made and there is no problem with its wording and such like. The regulation and the legal terminology used is exactly the same as in regulations 667-668.”
 
There is no talk of the regulation introduced at the time of the coup and a tiny addition has been made to it providing for the protection of civilians, too; the civilians who opposed that coup and intervened against the coupists. Why something that at that time was not a burning issue and was not a problem has been made into a burning issue today begs comprehension.
 
It is clear that confusion continues to reign in the CHP’s head over the coup. It somehow did not attach credence to this coup attempt from the outset and clearly maintains the same stance. The main opposition party, in acting this way, makes our martyrs turn in their graves and causes considerable discomfort to our fallen and their relatives. This stance and conduct is absolutely unacceptable.”