The Ankara screening of Nejla Demirci's documentary The Rule of Law, which tells the struggle for justice of Doctor Yasemin Demirci and Teacher Engin Karataş, who were dismissed from public service by the Decree Law, was banned by the Çankaya District Governorate on 2 May. The screening of the film in Istanbul was also banned by Beyoğlu District Governorate on 3 May. The film was to be shown within the scope of the 19th Workers' Film Festival.

Filmmakers, cinema associations and independent festivals made a written statement condemning the ban of the documentary.

Call to fight together against censorship

The statement emphasized that the ban decision is unlawful. The signatories said that they do not recognize the decision. The statement called for solidarity and added: "With the notifications made to the screening venues by the district governors of Çankaya in Ankara, Beyoğlu and Kadıköy in Istanbul, the screenings of the film, the interviews to be held afterward and the panel titled 'Censorship in Festivals' were effectively prevented. As cinema industry organizations, institutions and filmmakers, we totally reject censorship and the unlawful ban of our films from meeting the audience, and we invite everyone to stand together and raise their voice against censorship.”

Signatories

Among the signatories of the statement are: Akhisar Cinema Association, Altyazı Cinema Association, BSB Professional Association of Cinema Work Owners, Disk/Sinesen (Cinema Workers' Union), docİstanbul Documentary Research Center, Documentarist, Istanbul Documentary Days, Pembe Hayat KuirFest, Seyri Sokak Video-Action Collective, Cinema TV Union, International Workers' Film Festival, New Film Magazine and many filmmakers.