What happened at Halk TV? The Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı incident!

Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı interview

An exclusive interview Halk TV conducted with Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı was published on the channel's YouTube channel. Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı spoke about the PKK laying down its arms.

Resignations followed

Halk TV's decision to interview Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı caused discomfort among the channel's staff. A series of resignations began as a protest against this event. Serpil Yılmaz, Şule Aydın, Murat Ağırel, Timur Soykan, Barış Pehlivan, and Barış Terkoğlu decided to part ways with the channel.

Barış Terkoğlu announced his departure with the words, "It has become impossible to work together at the point where the discussion we have had from yesterday to today has brought us. Our paths with Halk TV are now parting."

Support from İsmail Küçükkaya

İsmail Küçükkaya, who presents the morning news on Halk TV, defended the interview, saying, "We need to tolerate each other's words and be able to listen to one another. We may not like it, we may not agree with the views, but let's listen and see what is being said."

Statement from the owner of Halk TV

Cafer Mahiroğlu, the owner of Halk TV, also made a statement. Describing the interview as a "road accident," Mahiroğlu said, "A campaign was launched against me and the channel on social media by a group of Halk TV programmers due to an interview published on our YouTube channel. Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı, who is the subject of the campaign's justification, has no connection whatsoever with me or the channel's editorial line, and cannot have one. This is entirely a road accident. Furthermore, I had no knowledge that the interview was being conducted for our YouTube platform, which has a different management than the television channel and the website. If I had known, I would not have approved it."

Finally, the Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı interview was removed from the broadcast.