13.03.2025 17:51
The publication of the interview with Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı on the YouTube channel caused a major crisis at Halk TV. While many journalists left the channel, a notable reaction also came from Erkan Baş, the General Chairman of the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP). Baş stated that Halk TV was systematically imposing an embargo on his party.
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The publication of the interview with Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı on the YouTube channel caused a major crisis at Halk TV.
RESIGNATIONS CAME ONE AFTER ANOTHER Following the rising reactions on social media, journalist Serpil Yılmaz was the first to announce her resignation, stating, "Halk TV has fallen far from where I wanted to be." Immediately after, the resignations of the 'Kayda Geçsin' team, consisting of Şule Aydın, Timur Soykan, Murat Ağırel, Barış Terkoğlu, and Barış Pehlivan, followed. Şule Aydın said, "As a team, we have parted ways with Halk TV as of today."
CAFER MAHIROĞLU: I WAS UNAWARE OF THE INTERVIEW In a statement regarding the crisis, the owner of Halk TV, Cafer Mahiroğlu, stated that the interview was published without his knowledge, saying, "Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı has nothing to do with me or the broadcasting line of Halk TV. This is completely an accident. If I had known, I would never have approved the interview." Mahiroğlu noted that Halk TV's YouTube channel is managed by a different administration than the television and internet site, and while he accepts the criticisms made by the programmers, he criticized the lack of opportunity given to him to speak.
REMOVED FROM BROADCAST Following the developments, Halk TV removed the Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı interview from its YouTube channel. Those wishing to watch the broadcast titled "Öcalan refused to leave" on the channel's YouTube page were met with a "Video not found" warning.
TİP LEADER ERKAN BAŞ: SOME FACES PLAYING THE ROLE OF ASSASSINS HAVE STARTED TO SHOW UP IN THE MEDIA AS DEMOCRACY APOSTLES On the other hand, a striking evaluation regarding the events at Halk TV came from Erkan Baş, the General President of the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP). In a press conference held at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Baş made the following statements regarding the issue: "Some faces that played the role of assassins in the imprisonment of various elements of the opposition at this critical juncture have started to appear in the media as democracy apostles, peace apostles, as if they have found an opportunity. Just as they played their roles in the operations of the Fethullahists in 2007 during the Ergenekon, Balyoz, and other conspiracy cases, we are watching with astonishment how they are now trying to legitimize the new regime of oppression after the Fethullahist coup attempt, while Kurdish cities are being destroyed and prisons are filled with people who are held captive just for being oppositional."
"FOR YEARS, A SYSTEMATIC EMBARGO HAS BEEN IMPOSED ON THE WORKERS' PARTY OF TURKEY BY HALK TV" I do not even want to mention the name of the person, but the infamous interview broadcasted on Halk TV has caught all of our attention. Now that this issue has started to be discussed, let us ask openly. While a systematic embargo has been imposed on the Workers' Party of Turkey by Halk TV for years, and no TİP executive can be brought on Halk TV to represent the party, what did Halk TV do when the TİP delegation met with DEM, while all other parties were being mentioned one by one and especially not mentioned? It brought a person whose name, reputation, history, and function we know very well to the screens under the guise of a peace apostle. Not in a format where opposing views would be discussed, but as if he were a wise person... Many of our journalist friends working at Halk TV naturally reacted to this and parted ways.
"THE STATEMENTS OF THE BOSS WHO STRIVES TO MAKE OUR PARTY INVISIBLE ARE OF NO IMPORTANCE TO US" On behalf of millions of our citizens who have shown unwavering solidarity against the pressures of the government on Halk TV, I ask, is this not extremely natural? The incident we are facing is the completion of the picture from our perspective. I want to say that the statements of the boss who does not allow workers to unionize in his own channel and who is making extraordinary efforts to make our party invisible with his own orders, targeting young reporters, and saying 'I swear, I had no idea' are of no importance to us.
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