New investigation against Kazım Öz

Director Kazım Öz has been summoned to give a statement as part of an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office into allegations of “organisational propaganda” in his film Zer.
Öz released the following statement on his social media account regarding the matter:
“I have been summoned to give a statement regarding a new investigation opened against me. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has accused me of ‘propaganda for a terrorist organisation’ for showing the film Zer, which I directed and produced, on YouTube! The film Zer, which was supported by the Ministry of Culture at the time and later had some scenes censored by the same ministry, is now being sued and punished. Despite my acquittal in another case previously brought against me… It is clear that the prosecutors are looking for a reason! The Zer film is not a propaganda film. If you want to see propaganda films, turn on TRT and watch them! Filing a lawsuit against the YouTube screening of a film that has been released in cinemas, shown at international festivals and won awards shows the level of censorship and self-censorship in the arts in our country. But we, as independent and free artists, will not tolerate your censorship or our own self-censorship! I leave it to the judgement of the public whether the screening of my film on my YouTube channel constitutes a crime. As I said in my statement, I am a director; I decide what subject to choose and how to tell that story”.