Türkiye condemns Disney's 'shameful' decision to cancel Ataturk series

The decision of Disney+, a streaming service based in the United States, not to show the series "Ataturk," and a joyful announcement of this on an Armenian website, sparked outrage in Türkiye, with thousands of people calling for a Disney boycott.

Rumours of alleged interference by the Armenian lobby in the US for the cancellation of the series also caused condemnations by Turkish government officials.

A spokesperson of Türkiye's governing AK Party, Ömer Çelik, strongly condemned the American-based streaming platform's decision to remove the Ataturk series due to pressure from the US-based Armenian lobby, calling it shameful and disrespectful to Türkiye's values and people.

Celik further stated that such actions by the online streaming platform are an attempt to distort historical events for their political agenda, and that those who submit to these lobby groups should feel ashamed. He also emphasised that the sole purpose of this lobby is to hinder the normalisation of Türkiye-Armenia relations.

Backdoor power play by Armenian lobbyists?

The influential Armenian lobbying institutions in the US, and their social media accounts, have shared the news of the cancellation of the digital series on Disney+, based on the life of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder and first president of the Republic of Türkiye, streaming of which was expected to begin on October 29.

ANCA, the largest Armenian lobbying group in the US, has been observed supporting the Disney+ decision to cancel the series on its official Twitter account. Another prominent pro-Armenian Twitter account has also announced the decision by applauding ANCA for “tirelessly working to get this (the series) removed”, and underlined an email campaign by it directed at Disney board members.

A spokesperson of Türkiye's governing AK Party, Omer Celik, strongly condemned the American-based streaming platform's decision to remove the Ataturk series due to pressure from the US-based Armenian lobby, calling it shameful and disrespectful to Türkiye's values and people.

The decision by Disney+ to remove the series Ataturk, intended to shed light on the life and legacy of the revered leader, has triggered concerns and discussions within Türkiye. Production of the series was formally launched with the release of its trailer on October 28, 2022. It was announced that the series would consist of six episodes and would be broadcast on October 29, 2023, marking the 100th anniversary of the Republic.

Notably, Turkish actor Aras Bulut Iynemli, known for his portrayal of various iconic characters in TV series, was set to play the role of Ataturk. Speculations suggested he would star alongside renowned Hollywood actress Emma Watson.

However, the current status and future of the series remain uncertain, following its reported removal from Disney+.

The grudge against Türkiye

Armenian lobbies around the world want that Türkiye recognise the events that took place during the deportations of 1915 as a "genocide", and seek compensation for it.

The 1915 events took place during World War I, when a portion of the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire had sided with the invading Russians and revolted against the Empire, killing their Ottoman brothers and sisters. Following the revolts, the Ottoman Empire decided to relocate its population of ethnic Armenians in eastern Anatolia. During the process, casualties occurred due to war-time conditions.

Türkiye objects to the presentation of the incidents as a "genocide", choosing to describe the events as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.

Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Türkiye and Armenia, plus international experts, to examine the issue. However, it has not received any response yet.