29.01.2025 11:21
Speaking about the detention of journalist Barış Pehlivan, Fatih Altaylı said, "Recording someone's voice without their knowledge and consent, and then publishing it without their permission is not legally correct. But they are detaining Pehlivan abruptly while he is coming to his workplace. My brother, this is neither a terrorist crime nor is he going to flee or do anything."
Fatih Altaylı spoke about the detention of journalist Barış Pehlivan, Serhan Asker, and Seda Selek. In his evaluation, Fatih Altaylı made the following statements:
"Barış Pehlivan had a phone conversation with an expert witness and later broadcasted this on his program on Halk TV. A subsequent investigation was opened regarding this. This investigation should have been initiated based on the complaint of the relevant person, that is, this famous expert witness. Because, as far as we know, a crime related to this complaint is written in the law... There is nothing wrong in opening this investigation.
"HE HAS THE RIGHT TO FILE A COMPLAINT"
I say this from this perspective. It is legally incorrect for anyone to record someone's voice without their knowledge and consent and to publish it without their permission. Therefore, this person has the right to complain, saying, 'Brother, you didn't inform me. You didn't get my permission. You cannot publish what we talked about.'
"THERE IS NO ANOMALY"
Based on this complaint, of course, Barış Pehlivan or whoever is involved in this matter, whether it's you or me, can be summoned by the prosecutor's office based on the complaint. Therefore, there is nothing abnormal in Barış Pehlivan being complained about and subsequently being called to give a statement regarding this complaint."
"IT HAS BECOME INDISPENSABLE FOR JOURNALISM"
You know, and I know, that on certain days of the week, sometimes almost five days a week, I go to court to give statements due to various complaints. I went yesterday, and I will go to another court today. This has become a part of our job. One of the indispensable elements of journalism in Turkey has become going to the courthouse.
"THEY CREATE TENSION IN SOCIETY UNNECESSARILY"
What is strange here is that they detain Barış Pehlivan abruptly while he is coming to his workplace. Brother, this is not a terrorist crime, he is not going to run away or do anything. You can call him, he goes home, and then a case can be opened. The penalty for this is clear. Why is he being detained abruptly? It's not enough that Barış was taken; they also took Serhan Asker afterward. Then they detained Seda Selek. Why are these people being detained? No one is saying don't take statements, don't call them. Barış is one thing, but why did they call the others for statements? I don't understand. Okay, you called them, but what is the reason for the detention? They are unnecessarily creating tension in society. With what justification, as part of what long-term plan are you doing this?
3 JOURNALISTS WERE DETAINED
Journalist Barış Pehlivan, along with Halk TV's Responsible Manager Serhan Asker and presenter Seda Selek, was detained on the grounds of publishing a voice recording related to the expert witness named by İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu.
FATİH PORTAKAL HAD ALSO CRITICIZED
Fatih Portakal stated, "A journalist as experienced as you should be doing journalism in a country like Turkey, knowing the conditions of Turkey. Above all, you should not be doing journalism in this way. I can criticize Barış in this regard, and I believe I have the right to criticize. He should not have done it, and he shared it on channel X today. Is his detention correct? He should not have been detained in this way," he said.
"THERE IS A MANNER TO SAY EVERYTHING"
In response to Portakal's comments, Barış Pehlivan's program partner Şule Aydın said:
"There is a manner to say something; what you say and when you say it is important. Since when have journalists been talked about like this when they are detained? Let's look back in history; who has spoken like this when journalists were detained? Fatih Portakal gave a long lecture on journalism from the screen. Fatih Portakal, when you first faced the power's stick, we were with you then too. When you were first hit, you withdrew from the screen, and now when Barış Pehlivan, whose journalism you are questioning, is detained, he was also doing journalism back then and was going to prison for the journalism he did. While you are telling us about journalistic ethics, first look at your own journalism. But you are not at that point. You cannot say these things to a journalist on the day they are detained. There is a manner to everything."
"IT IS NO ONE'S PLACE"
Fatih Portakal's former colleague İsmail Küçükkaya also reacted to Portakal and said, "I hope this pulse that is taken every morning serves as a message to someone. Because I know Barış Pehlivan well, and I know Seda Selek well. They are very good journalists. I used to participate in their programs. I have known Serhan Asker for years. He is a very good journalist and television personality. It is no one's place to question their journalism. It is no one's place to question Barış Pehlivan's journalism. He has paid a price. These three journalist friends are patriots. They love their country very much. They are committed to our Constitution," he stated.