Support for Refugees Sharing Banana Eating Videos

During a street interview, a citizen asked refugees, “I can’t eat bananas, you buy kilos of bananas,” refugees from social media bananas reaction videos started to share; After the videos that made a big impression, on October 27, the Directorate of Migration Management announced that 7 people they called ‘provocateurs’ in the videos were caught and they were charged. deportation announced that the proceedings would begin.

Human rights defenders and lawyers made statements today regarding the deportation decision. In the statement, for years, especially politicians and the media, the growing economic crisis that all those responsible are seen as refugees, discrimination and polarization it was underlined that it increased even more.

Many institutions signed the statement:

Turkey’s European Convention on Human Rightsto which you are a party and Article 10 of the contract. “freedom of expression” In the statement emphasizing the article, who can be deported within the scope of Article 54 of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458, “An act that does not involve violence, does not encourage violence, and provokes a reaction by eating a banana is not specified as a reason for deportation in any subparagraph of Article 54 of the LFIP. The possibility that such an act would be a ‘threat to public order or public security’ means a heavy blow to freedom of expression. Article 55 of the LFIP, which must be considered together with Article 54, and Article 4, which is a mandatory provision, explicitly stipulates that a deportation decision cannot be taken against a person for sharing a banana-eating video or any non-violent post or expression. If there is, it is the posts that trigger a non-violent response and fuel discrimination and hate speech against refugees.” statements were included.

Along with the statement underlining that the reaction of refugees on social media, without harming anyone, is within the scope of freedom of expression and that anyone who exercises their freedom of expression cannot be deported, revocation of the deportation decision requested. In addition, it was requested that necessary judicial measures be taken against those who discriminate against refugees.

From many institutions support and signature came. Here are those institutions:

• Equality Studies Association
• Intellectual and Artistic Association Child Rights Center (FISA)
• Migration Research Association (GAR)
• Rights Initiative
• People’s Bridge Association
• Center for Asylum and Migration Studies (IGAM)
• Human Rights Association (İHD)
• Human Rights Agenda Association (İHGD)
• Izmir Bar Association
• Chaos-GL
• Konak City Council Refugee Council
• Media and Migration Association
• Solidarity with Refugees Association (Mülteci-Der)
• Society and Legal Studies Foundation (TOHAV)
• Van Bar Association Immigration and Asylum Commission
• Citizens’ Association