Who is Ayşe Barım? Those who should know her, don’t. The people of this country—who have lived all their lives below the poverty line, and not even all of them, only a few—first heard her name in the news bulletins. When? Exactly 248 days ago, when she was arrested. They didn’t know Ayşe Barım, but in the evenings they gathered with their families or friends, cracking sunflower seeds and watching TV dramas with excitement. Yet those viewers had no idea what was happening behind the screen. Behind the mesmerizing shows they watched so devotedly stood an unknown figure. Under the headlines “Çağlayan Courthouse / Silivri Prison,” Ayşe Barım was forced—by the hand of the judiciary, not by her own will—to step onto the stage from behind the curtains.
INTERVENTION IN THE WORLD OF SOAP
The TV audience came to know Ayşe Barım while she was in Silivri prison. Perhaps, between asking themselves “Why was this woman arrested? What was her crime?” they felt sorry, but they still went on watching their dramas without missing a scene, biting their nails.
The formal charge behind her arrest was “organizing the 2013 Gezi protests and directing TV and film actors to join them.” Neither the actors she managed nor their audience could make any sense of this.
Some recalled President Erdoğan’s statement, made after more than 20 years of single-party rule: “We achieved political power, but not cultural power.” One argument points to Turkey’s TV drama market as a $500–600 million industry—not just domestic, but a global export success, like the Brazilian soap operas of the past.
HER ARREST SENDS A MESSAGE
Ayşe Barım is not just an individual. She is a powerful figure in the TV and film industry, and moreover, as a woman, she stands even more prominently. By arresting her, a warning is delivered not only to the actors but also to the producers who invest their money in these projects. It is a warning to capital. The message is: “Look, Ayşe Barım is one of the most untouchable names in your world. We touched her. We can touch anyone.” When Ayşe Barım, in her last interview from prison, lamented that she had not received enough support from the industry, everyone knew she meant the producers—and the market agreed.
YOU MAY PROSECUTE, BUT TRIALS SHOULD BE WITHOUT DETENTION
Ayşe Barım is an immensely experienced talent manager, working with actors for decades. In truth, she has nothing to do with politics. Why was she arrested? As this article suggests, there were surely multiple reasons. She lost 35 kilos in prison. She has health problems. It is not easy.
Finally, she is out of jail. Release all those who are sick first. If you insist on prosecuting, prosecute them without detention. What sense is there in prosecuting behind bars?
