11.03.2025 22:01
An interview with Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı on Halk TV caused a crisis. In response, Serpil Yılmaz, Murat Ağırel, Şule Aydın, Timur Soykan, Barış Pehlivan, and Barış Terkoğlu announced that they have resigned from their positions at the channel.
```html
An interview with Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı on Halk TV caused a crisis within the channel. Kütahyalı made evaluations regarding the call made by PKK terrorist organization leader Abdullah Öcalan, while the channel announced this with the statement, "Journalist Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı revealed very striking information about the process on the Halk TV YouTube channel!"
AFTER KÜTAHYALI'S INTERVIEW, THEY ALL RESIGNED
After the interview, chaos erupted at the channel. First, Serpil Yılmaz, followed by Murat Ağırel, Şule Aydın, Timur Soykan, Barış Pehlivan, and Barış Terkoğlu left the channel in protest.
STATEMENT FROM THE CHANNEL OWNER: A MISTAKE
The owner of Halk TV, Cafer Mahiroğlu, also made a statement after the incident. Mahiroğlu said, "Last night, a campaign was launched against me and the channel by a group of Halk TV programmers due to an interview published on our YouTube channel. The subject of the campaign, Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı, has no relationship whatsoever with me or the channel's broadcasting line, and cannot have. This is entirely a mistake."
"IF I HAD KNOWN, I WOULD NOT HAVE APPROVED"
Mahiroğlu, who said, "I was not aware that the interview was conducted for our YouTube platform, which has a different management from the television channel and the website. If I had known, I would not have approved it," continued his remarks: "As a businessman, when I entered this job risking everything, my aim was to provide a democratic platform where dozens of journalists could express their opinions. The fact that our colleagues who make programs on the channel can easily criticize the channel and its owner shows that I have established a culture of critical journalism, and I am happy about that."
"MY REQUEST FOR THE RIGHT TO REPLY WAS REJECTED"
However, I am disappointed regarding my belief in the sanctity of the right to reply. When I requested the right to reply from the Kayda Geçsin team to explain to our viewers how the process developed and how that interview was published, my request was rejected. When I insisted on exercising my right to reply, they informed me that they preferred not to have a program. However, the right to reply is sacred, and no democrat would reject it.
"There is no place for rejecting the right to reply in either conscience or the culture of Halk TV. I leave this attitude to the conscience of all democrats, stakeholders, and our viewers who believe in the sanctity of the right to reply."
```