His name had come to the agenda with drugs and sex parties: The victim recounted what she experienced one by one! 'If I don't attend the sex parties...'

New allegations have surfaced following the arrest of Mehmet Akif Ersoy as part of a drug operation.

It has been learned that some anchors have voiced allegations of "harassment and threats" against Ersoy, who was arrested as part of an investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on charges of "purchasing, accepting, or possessing drugs or stimulants for use" and "providing a place and opportunity for their use."

According to the report in Sabah, one of these individuals, former Habertürk employee Nur Köşker, said that Ersoy forced her to be part of a system known for "drugs and sex parties" and threatened her that she would not be able to appear on screen if she did not accept this.

AS HIS AUTHORITY GREW, THE PRESSURE INCREASED

What exactly did you experience at Habertürk?

This is not a rumor. It is not a misunderstanding at all. This is the story of a man who derives his power from his position and openly makes a woman's profession a subject of bargaining. The harassment process began a few months after I started working at Habertürk. I was married at the time, and he was married too. However, it soon became clear that this created no moral boundaries for him. He started sending me disturbing messages. To avoid these messages and his presence, I had to constantly take precautions even while doing my job. On days when our bulletins were back-to-back, we were practically playing hide-and-seek in the studio. To avoid running into him after the broadcast, I would go to the studio very early, have my microphones attached in advance, and sometimes wait for him to leave the control room before entering the studio. This went on for a long time. Later, this person, whom everyone knew what kind of person he was, was made editor-in-chief. As his authority increased, the pressure he put on me also increased. There was no room left to escape. On the day I resigned, he called me into his office.

He said this in extremely clear language there. He threatened me that if I did not sleep with him and did not agree to be part of this system known for drugs and sex parties, I would not be able to appear on screen. He explicitly threatened to take me off the air by saying, "Forget the screen, you can sit at a desk and write news if you want." I rejected this bargain and resigned. And I paid the price. I was unemployed for about a year. I experienced homelessness. I struggled with serious health problems and panic attacks. I had to break away first from my profession and then from this country.

I AM A FARMER'S CHILD

After your social media post, there are those who say, "Why did you speak up only when Mehmet Akif Ersoy was arrested?" Why were you silent? Were you afraid?

I was facing a man whose source of power was known to everyone and who was protected within the system. I, on the other hand, am the daughter of a farmer father and a housewife mother living in a village in Hatay. I am proud of this. But throughout my 10-year professional life, I never had any connections or political support. I reached this point by scratching and clawing, so to speak. I started working while I was in university. There were days when I wrote news at ATV from 12 midnight to 10 in the morning, and went to class without sleeping at all or with only an hour or two of sleep. I put myself through school and stood on my own two feet through my own labor. Now, when you put these two profiles side by side, what chance could I have had against that dark and deep power? What would have changed if I had taken the evidence I had to human resources?

I WILL PRESENT THE CORRESPONDENCE AS EVIDENCE

Has there been any feedback from Mehmet Akif Ersoy's circle after you made your statement?

There has been no direct feedback from Mehmet Akif Ersoy or his circle to me. Only a statement denying everything was made through his lawyer. I have not received any new threats so far. However, if any threats come from now on, the source is clear; and if something happens to me, the perpetrator is also clear.

Do you have any evidence regarding what Mehmet Akif Ersoy put you through during that process?

Yes, of course I do. The prosecutor's office wanted to take my statement following my disclosures. I will give my statement to the prosecutor's office from America, and I will also forward all the WhatsApp correspondence that Mehmet Akif Ersoy sent me to the prosecutor's office.

THIS INCIDENT LEFT IRREPARABLE WOUNDS ON MY SOUL

As a woman, what kind of mark did this leave on you?

That process left very heavy marks on me. As a woman, what I experienced there was reflected in wounds on my body and soul that are difficult to repair. I lost 11 kilos in a very short time, and health problems began to emerge. I was having anxiety attacks that lasted up to 8 hours a day; so much so that I became unable to do my job. My colleagues I worked with at Tele1 are also witnesses to this situation. There were moments when I had attacks during broadcasts or at the workplace. To avoid being seen by anyone in that state, I would retreat to the dressing room and wait for the medication to take effect and the attack to pass. This was a period when I was trying to keep not only my job but also myself afloat.

EVERYONE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING

Was no one aware of what he was doing? Another anchor friend of mine, whose name I will not mention, conveyed what was happening to the CEO of the time, Kenan Tekdağ. Do you know what the result was?

That friend of ours was removed from WhatsApp groups and fired without even being allowed to make a farewell post. In contrast, nothing happened to that person whom everyone knew everything about. Kenan Tekdağ was aware of everything Mehmet Akif did. If I had gone to human resources in such a picture, what would have happened to me? One really needs to ask this. I chose to be silent, to resign quietly and leave. Until these events spilled out through an X account called 'Habertürk Emekçileri' (Habertürk Laborers) outside of me. When my name was mentioned, there was nothing left to hide, and I started telling my circle. After that point, even though we were not even on the same channel, I started to be threatened. Upon these threats, I quickly got a visa and left Turkey. So yes, I was afraid. But not just for myself; I didn't want anything to happen to my family. I was afraid that they would be harmed while trying to protect me. Silence was not a choice, it was a survival reflex.

THE TORMENT CONTINUES AS LONG AS YOU DON'T SPEAK

Do you think there are other names who have experienced similar things to you as a woman?

Yes, I know there are other women who have experienced similar things to me. They are not speaking; because this sector has been operating for years with a system that imposes silence on women. The reason I can speak today is not to 'kick someone when they are down'; it is because I am now standing on firmer ground. A person can only say 'This happened to me too' when they feel safer. I was neither the first nor the only one, unfortunately. I want to address women in particular here: This is not just an issue about a single name. This sector has a bleeding wound. There are still managers who exert pressure on women through their careers, make them feel obligated, and isolate them. That is why speaking up is not just about telling the past; it is a step to stop this system. Do not be afraid. As long as there is no voice, this torment continues.

MY FAMILY HAS ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE

Did your family know? Or did they learn after your post?

This was one of the most difficult parts. My mother and father knew nothing because I wanted to protect them. They learned everything from the media after the post. My father was seriously affected during this process, but my family, despite everything, never withdrew their support. My family was always behind me. They were a little hurt because I didn't tell them at the time, but as I said, I had my own justifiable reasons.