The Turkish television series Kızılcık Şerbeti, which had been slapped with a suspension by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), was abruptly taken off the air on Show TV. The last-minute rejection of the appeals led to a significant shock among viewers, while celebrities expressed their disapproval of RTÜK’s decision on their social media accounts. The series, starring Sıla Türkoğlu, Evrim Alasya, Barış Kılıç, Müjde Uzman, Sibel Taşçıoğlu, Settar Tanrıöğen, Ceren Karakoç, and Doğukan Güngör, continues to dominate the headlines.

The series’ fate, which had been reported to RTÜK due to some controversial scenes, was uncertain. In one set, Nursema is forcibly married and thrown out of a window by her husband on their wedding night. This led RTÜK to impose a 5-week suspension and a fine of 1.5 million TL due to the depiction of violence against women.

Show TV’s lawyers challenged the RTÜK’s penalty in court, exercising their right to appeal. A campaign was launched on Twitter using the hashtag “RTÜKHandsOffKızılcıkŞerbeti” to demand the cancellation of the penalty, with numerous viewers and artists expressing their outrage at the decision. After assessing the channel’s lawyers’ appeal, the court granted a stay of execution against the RTÜK penalty. However, an unexpected development occurred as the broadcast of the series’ latest episode was anticipated.

The Ankara Administrative Court revoked its stay of execution regarding Kızılcık Şerbeti. The court’s decision arrived while the series’ summary aired, forcing the channel’s management to immediately remove the show from the screen.

As justification for the suspension, RTÜK cited Article 8 of Law No. 6112, which states that programs “cannot include content that contradicts gender equality, encourages pressures on women, and exploits women.” The decision sparked criticism from the series’ lead actors and other prominent figures.”