Özdağ: If the provision on agent provocateurs is not withdrawn, we will carry out a hunger strike.

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Future-Welfare Group Chairman Selçuk Özdağ and Group Deputy Chairman Bülent Kaya made statements regarding the withdrawal of the 16th article of the Notary Law Proposal, which consists of 23 articles and is described as a "lobbying" regulation, adding a new crime definition under the title "Committing crimes against the security or political interests of the state" to the section "Crimes against State Secrets and Espionage" of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

"OUR POSITION IS CLEAR"

Kaya stated that the article would be withdrawn as a result of the opposition's efforts, saying that the social opposition cannot be suppressed. Kaya's statements are as follows:

"Before the Parliament goes on recess, there was a regulation aimed at silencing the voice of social opposition with abstract concepts under the name of lobbying and leading the country towards an authoritarian regime. At that time, we strongly expressed that this was not a democratic move. Now, it has been brought as an article within this Notary Law. Here, too, the voice of the opposition was actually being silenced with abstract concepts, and the freedom of thought and expression along with press freedom was being attempted to be eliminated. We worked as all opposition parties to prevent this from passing in the Parliament, and today the ruling party verbally expressed that they would withdraw this lobbying article. Therefore, our position here is clear. As the Future-Welfare Group, we will not allow the social opposition to be suppressed with these ambiguous concepts during a time when the concepts of power and government are intertwined."

"WHERE IS THE DEMOCRATIC ASPECT OF THIS ARTICLE?"

Özdağ, who stated that the article contradicts the concept of a democratic rule of law, reminded that the opposition is against every article that contradicts these principles, saying:

"They wanted to bring an article that states committing crimes against the security and interests of the state as a trap to the General Assembly. When this was shared with the public by an opposition member while the 9th Judicial Package was being discussed in the committee, this article was not included in the 9th Judicial Package. Previously, when the disinformation law came, we called it the 'Law of Imprisonment and Silencing People.' Here, however, it was about imprisoning people who speak and not letting them see the light of day again. Our Constitution states, 'The Republic of Turkey is a democratic, secular, and social state governed by the rule of law,' referring to a social state and a democratic structure. Where is the democratic aspect of this article, and how does it align with the rule of law?

They brought it to the committee, and it was passed with the votes of the ruling party. Can a law article be passed here without due process? Can people be punished with ambiguous expressions? For example, if I say that oil is being shipped from Azerbaijan to Israel and I am a citizen, I can easily be sentenced to imprisonment for 3 to 7 years. It is said that this is desired by some institutions of the state, but that was not true. However, the ruling party always does this. They did it with the disinformation law, and they did it in other matters. Sometimes, as a result of the opposition's resistance, steps were taken back from these articles. In democracies, there is opposition; in authoritarian regimes, there is not. The opposition resists every article that is outside democracy, law, morality, and legitimacy."

"THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU TOO"

Özdağ, who stated that he met with opposition parties and the MHP group regarding the withdrawal of the article, reminded that opposition members should act collectively against the article. Özdağ also said:

"Tomorrow, you may also fall into opposition; this could happen to you too. In democratic countries, it is absolutely not right to impose a penalty without proving a crime. Tomorrow, if necessary, we can hold a press conference collectively as the entire opposition, we can protest collectively. We would request a quorum together. We said that we could be imprisoned with very ambiguous expressions like 'You spoke against the state.' We saw that the ruling party is withdrawing this; they haven't withdrawn it yet, but we will continue our statements.

If it weren't for this opposition, this law would have passed just like it did in the same committee. This shows that they have no intention of a democratic rule of law, no freedom of thought, and no freedom of the press. I warn the government; do not narrow the space of freedom of thought, freedom of enterprise, and freedom of belief. Do not narrow the space of press freedom. If there were no opposition, you would do these things; when you do this, will Turkey be a democratic country, will it be a rule of law? It will be overturned by the Constitutional Court. You are putting pressure on the members of the Constitutional Court every day."

"WE WILL DO EVERY LEGITIMATE ACTION"

If this article is not withdrawn, we will take every legitimate action. If necessary, we will do every action, including hunger strikes and going on death fasts. The government says that in order to stay in power, to prevent its own faults from coming to light, it will exert pressure on the judiciary, the legislature, and through decrees or the majority in Parliament. I tell the members of the ruling party, please let Turkey be a speaking party. In the past, you come from a tradition that says, 'We were silenced, we were punished,' but yesterday you want to do to others what was done to you. This undermines the trust of the people in the state."