Presidency's Head of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, emphasised during his address at the Panel on Türkiye's Mobilisation to Combat Addictions in the 21st Century held at our Directorate that Türkiye is being painted as an unstable, unsafe, and unlawful country.
In his address, Head of Communications Altun expressed his hope that the panel and the accompanying book, which are intended to effectively underscore the multifaceted, ever-changing, and complex addictions of contemporary society, reaffirm the state's unwavering struggle and commitment against dependency, and facilitate discourse on strategic initiatives for building healthy generations, will yield auspicious results.
Noting that Türkiye has been engaged in a great struggle against addiction with the full force of the state as a public policy since the early 2000s, Head of Communication Altun said, "At this level, our mobilisation to combat substance addiction, behavioural addictions, and all other addictions is growing stronger through high-level cooperation involving all institutions and stakeholders, coordinated by the High Council of the Fight against Addiction under the chairmanship of Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz. Our struggle has attained the level of mobilisation due to the legislative and administrative regulations enacted under the vision and leadership of our President."
Head of Communications Altun informed that the book "Türkiye's Mobilisation to Combat Addictions in the 21st Century", which was released today, exhaustively documents the policies and initiatives they have implemented over the past 23 years.
Altun proceeded to provide details about the book, stating:
"This book offers a comprehensive overview of our state's efforts within the framework of our combating addiction policy, legislation, strategic documents, action plans, and administrative bodies. It also features the solutions we have developed in Türkiye for all forms of addiction. The book outlines our mobilisation via rehabilitation, communication initiatives, and scientific studies, which began with the individual and extended to families and all segments of society. We believe that the struggle against addiction is a matter of survival. As the President of the Turkish Green Crescent once said, this is a struggle for independence. The determined struggle against addiction that has been ongoing for years under the leadership of our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, guarantees our strong future. In this context, our state is exerting efforts to cover all protective, preventive, and therapeutic processes. As the Directorate of Communications, we regard this challenge as a distinct policy field and one of our primary areas of focus. Our efforts include raising awareness and consciousness, the efforts of our state in this struggle, and the opportunities provided by both our state and our non-governmental organisations, especially the Green Crescent."
"Digital addiction is an insidious epidemic"
Head of Communications Altun stated that Türkiye is currently grappling with the pervasive nature of the addiction trap, along with its new varieties and ploys, as is the case worldwide.
Pointing out that addictions to substances such as drugs, tobacco, and alcohol, which essentially feed on a feeling of deprivation, manifest themselves not only in the physiological and psychological destruction of the individual but also in social, economic, and security problems, Head of Communications Altun said, "Digital addiction, which emerges from human-machine interaction, is an insidious epidemic that poses a risk to all segments of society today. Affecting family, education, work life, and social relations, digital addiction encircles the human will with virtual and toxic chains and detaches individuals from the reality of life."
İstanbul-based corruption investigation
Head of Communications Altun stated that excessive exposure to digital media today not only blurs individuals' relations with real life but also means that they are more exposed to systematic disinformation and misleading campaigns.
Emphasising that this situation paves the way for a process that damages peace in the social sphere, deepens polarisation and fuels the language of hate, Head of Communications Altun continued as follows:
"In recent days, we have witnessed a very clear example of this situation in the context of the corruption investigation that started in İstanbul. We have before us a corruption investigation conducted by the independent judiciary and serious allegations that have come to the fore as part of this investigation. The investigation into these allegations is under the supervision of independent judicial bodies as required by the rule of law. Yet, we are confronted with efforts that are not made in good faith, aimed at politicising the judicial process, turning an ongoing case into a subject of political dispute, targeting our President, and accusing our government instead of addressing the serious allegations. To put it very clearly and unambiguously; setting a stage for vandalism and street violence in order to disrupt an ongoing legal process and to gain political rent is, to put it mildly, irresponsible, disruptive to public order, and damaging to social peace and calm."
Stating that the legitimate political ground is shaped by the will of the nation and guaranteed by the constitution, Head of Communications Altun said, "Manipulating the streets with irresponsible and provocative calls against the institutions of the state means encouraging vandalism, violence and lawlessness. Such calls are an attempt to interfere with fair judicial processes; they are not a pursuit of rights but an attempt to exert pressure on the law. Furthermore, it is evident that those making these calls lack the capacity, both in terms of political accountability and security, to control or de-escalate potential street provocations."
Fahrettin Altun asserted that the actors in question, who are actually cognisant of this, are driving their own voters into a political environment that is ambiguous, provocative, and unpredictable, particularly due to concerns such as intra-party leadership rivalry and pressure from marginalised groups.
"We have witnessed endeavours to tarnish Türkiye's reputation"
Expressing that, as in the past, they have sadly observed a variety of extremists, groups affiliated with or sympathetic to terrorist organisations, and radical groups attempting to take action in response to these street calls today, Head of Communications Altun emphasised that they are faced with a mentality that regards digital platforms and social media as a battleground, a hub for chaos-mongering, and a tool for generating social unrest in all of these processes.
Fahrettin Altun made the following remarks:
"Regrettably, these processes are accompanied by an intense barrage of disinformation and a systematic campaign of lies. In recent times, it has become evident that public opinion has been targeted for manipulation, particularly through digital media, and that perception management has been systematically attempted through deliberate distortions, manipulative content, and false news. We are also clearly aware that some of these disinformative sources originate from abroad. We are facing an organised disinformative attack, similar to those we witnessed during the Gezi events, following the earthquake and even during the forest fires. Throughout this process, we have witnessed a multitude of disinformation attempts, ranging from the dissemination of untrue allegations regarding judicial decisions, the discreditation of our state institutions through fictionalised content, the targeting of public officials, and the dissemination of distorted information to the international public, all of which are intended to harm Türkiye's reputation."
"We firmly believe that the public will not be captivated by lies"
Stating that the aim of dirty campaigns is not only to mislead the public opinion but also to incite the public against the state, its institutions and the justice system, Head of Communications Altun said:
"We firmly assert that our commitment to combating any structure or system that misleads the public, fosters distrust in the state, or aims to create chaos through the information pollution will persist resolutely. In the age of digitalisation, having access to accurate information is as fundamental a right as freedom, a point that President Erdoğan has emphasised repeatedly. In this context, we are fully confident that our people will respond sensibly to disinformation campaigns, refuse to believe these lies, and will always stand up for truth, righteousness, and justice. We cannot allow anyone to try to put themselves in a privileged position before justice by means of distorted narratives, manipulated videos, fake documents, or perception management games. A strong, conscious, and systematic stance is necessary against these disinformation attacks that undermine the rule of law, the legitimacy of the state, and the common sense of the nation."
Emphasising that the state remains vigilant with all its institutions, Head of Communications Altun said, "At the Directorate of Communications, we operate around the clock with our Centre for Combating Disinformation to combat information pollution and deceptive campaigns. At this point, we encourage our citizens to seek information from trustworthy sources, thoughtfully evaluate the content they come across on social media, and steer clear of any frameworks that foster sedition. Truth always prevails. We will continue to stand up for the truth, share the reality with our people, and protect our state's reputation."
"There is an attempt to portray Türkiye as an unstable, unsafe and unlawful country"
The Head of Communications, Altun, stated that Türkiye has evolved into a reliable actor, inspiring confidence not only among its own citizens but also across its region and the globe.
Head of Communications Altun emphasised that the nation and the state joined hands and made material and moral sacrifices during this process, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan successfully thwarted the plots against Türkiye and demonstrated the country's truth to the world. He also stated, "In accordance with the Terror Free Türkiye objective, the threats that have caused security crises for many years were eliminated one by one, resulting in significant internal and external security gains." This achievement in security and stability has elevated Türkiye's importance both regionally and globally, reinforcing its effectiveness. We were already aware of this, but it has become evident in recent months that the Western world is beginning to recognise the reality of a rising Türkiye."
Head of Communications Altun stated that, in the midst of this global crossroads and regional realignment, there was an attempt to portray Türkiye as an unstable, unsafe and unlawful country, using manipulative images circulated to the foreign media, and continued: "This is an act of sabotage against our investment landscape, our identity as a country of rule of law and our international reputation. It is apparent that the actors and groups that will try to take advantage of this will be seeking to provide support for the incidents using different channels. Any imprudent step at this critical juncture will bring Türkiye closer to the spiral of distrust that surrounds the globe, and those who make these calls will involuntarily become instruments of anti-Türkiye narratives. It is the duty of every responsible politician and patriot, and not only our government, to recognise this peril and act with reason and common sense."
"No individual, authority or group is above the Turkish judicial system"
Head of Communications Altun underlined that no one was above the law and no individual or institution had the right to interfere with the independence of the judiciary.
Head of Communications Altun pointed out that this is the core of the principle of separation of powers enshrined in the constitutional order and added the following:
"Today, those who intend to point the finger at the judicial authorities and discredit the legal process are not only aiming at the ongoing cases but also at the peace of the country and the rule of law, which is one of the pillars of our democracy. No individual, authority or group is above the Turkish judicial system. Any discourse towards discrediting the law and exerting pressure on the judicial authorities is the biggest harm to the justice system. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the person, the leader, who fights hardest for the independent and impartial functioning of the Turkish judiciary. The judicial approach that, in the past coup eras, acted under the guidance of tutelage groups and disregarded the national will, has been eliminated by reforms implemented under the leadership of our President In this framework, attributing responsibility to our government regarding judicial processes reveals the inherent contradiction of those attempting to politicise the judiciary. It will be one of our most significant responsibilities to fight against the mentality that aims to consign the Turkish nation and Turkish democracy, which have previously suffered significantly from the politicisation of the judiciary to the same dead end.
Head of Communications Altun expressed his gratitude for the diligent efforts of all institutions and organisations that are members of the High Council of Fight against Addiction in the presence of Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.
Head of Communications Altun emphasised his belief that the efforts to raise healthier generations in the Century of Türkiye will continue to grow stronger in collaboration with all state institutions, non-governmental organisations, particularly the Turkish Green Crescent Society, academia, and media organisations and added, "I would like to thank our valuable panellists, who will share their knowledge and experience during the sessions, as well as my colleagues who have contributed to the programme. I hope that our book and panels to be held will be beneficial and wish that the upcoming Eid al-Fitr will bring blessings for the entire Islamic world, especially to the oppressed Palestinian people."
"The Turkish Green Crescent Society has gained significant power than it had ever before"
Speaking at the panel, the President of the Turkish Green Crescent Society Mehmet Dinç stated that the Green Crescent Society has maintained its operations without interruption since its inception, although it went through weaker periods. He went on to say, "Considering its 105 years of history, the Turkish Green Crescent Society has gained significant power than it had ever before in 2010 when our President expressed his open support and took the Green Crescent Society under his auspices."
Providing details about their operations, Dinç stated, "Today, the Turkish Green Crescent Society is working tirelessly for the independence of our country, our people, our children, and our youth with its 120 branches, 78 university clubs, 107 Green Crescent Counselling Centres, three inpatient rehabilitation centres, and over 2,400 teacher trainers working for the Ministry of National Education in every district of İstanbul and in every city of Türkiye."
"Collective Approach to Combating Drug, Tobacco, and Alcohol Addictions"
A panel discussion titled "Collective Approach to Combating Drugs, Tobacco, and Alcohol Addictions" was moderated by the Rector of Ankara University and Member of the Presidential Health and Food Policies Council Prof Necdet Ünüvar. Panellists included Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Green Crescent Society Mehmet Güllüoğlu, Vice Rector of Üsküdar University Prof Sevil Atasoy, Director General of Public Health of the Ministry of Health Muhammed Emin Demirkol, Head of the Department of Smuggling, Intelligence, Operations, and Data Collection of the Ministry of Interior Veteran Levent Kurtoğlu, Head of the Department of Guidance Services of the Ministry of National Education and Member of the Technical Council for Combating Addictions Serpil Altuncu Varol.
"Combating Technology, Gambling, and Other Behavioural Addiction" discussed
The second and final session on "Combating Technology, Gambling, and Other Behavioural Addiction" was moderated by Şuayıp Birinci, the Deputy Minister of Health and a member of the Council for Combating Addiction.
The session featured Deputy President of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) Deniz Güler, Director General of the Family and Community Services of the Ministry of Family and Social Services Tuncay Cevheroğlu, Deputy Director General of the Education, Research, and Coordination Department of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Erkan Şamiloğlu, Head of the Sectoral Statistics Department of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) Erkan Erşen, and Department of Educational Sciences of the Faculty of Education of the Ondokuz Mayıs University Lecturer Prof Hatice Kumcağız as speakers.
The panel programme included the "A Breath of Health Photo Exhibition," showcasing the photographs of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan alongside individuals whom he had personally encouraged and persuaded to quit smoking.
