BREAKING NEWS... He had said 'I have never seen such a period': Altan Öymen has passed away

Former Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman and journalist Altan Öymen has passed away at the hospital where he was receiving treatment due to multiple organ failure.

The statement made by the hospital is as follows:

“Mr. Mehmet Altan ÖYMEN underwent a successful lung operation at our hospital 6 weeks ago with a diagnosis of lung cancer and was discharged in good health 1 week later. However, our patient, Mr. Mehmet Altan Öymen, was re-admitted to our hospital approximately 15 days ago due to viral pneumonia (lung infection). Our patient, Mr. Mehmet Altan Öymen, who had been followed in our intensive care unit for 3 days due to respiratory failure that developed as a result of the rapid progression of the lung infection, passed away today at 14:38 due to multiple organ failure. We extend our condolences to his family and all his loved ones.”

WHO IS ALTAN ÖYMEN?

Altan Öymen, one of the leading figures of the Turkish press and politics, was born in Istanbul on June 20, 1932. Originally from Trabzon, Öymen completed his primary and secondary education in the capital after his family settled in Ankara. Graduating from Ankara University's Faculty of Political Sciences in 1955, Öymen quickly drew attention in the journalism profession, which he had stepped into during his student years.

Starting his journalism career in 1950 as a parliamentary reporter for the newspaper Ulus, Öymen held various positions in newspapers such as Akşam, Cumhuriyet, Günaydın, Milliyet, and Radikal in the following years.

Between 1962 and 1966, he served as a Press Attaché at the Turkish Embassy in Bonn, Germany. He managed the Anka News Agency, which he founded himself, until 1979.

Stepping into his political life in 1961 as a member of the Constituent Assembly, Öymen served in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) after being elected as an Istanbul deputy from the Republican People's Party in the 1977 and 1995 general elections. Elected as chairman at the 27th Extraordinary Congress of the CHP in 1999, Öymen held this position for approximately 15 months. He handed over the duty to Deniz Baykal at the congress held in 2000.

HE HAD SAID 'I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH A PERIOD'

Former CHP leader Altan Öymen had participated in rallies in Saraçhane following the March 19 operation before he passed away and had given great support.

Evaluating the difficult process Turkey is going through on 12punto screens, Öymen had used the following expressions:

''In the 1950s, they first detained Cüneyt Arcayürek and Bedii Faik Akın and kept the two journalists inside for 15 days because they criticized the government. In other words, a lawsuit was going to be filed, but it was like a detention situation. Later, they released these friends. In those periods, if a person had committed a crime, the execution of the sentence would begin. Now there is no sentence execution or anything; the indictment has not even been written yet, and people are in jail. Not for 3 months, 5 months, 7 months; sometimes it takes years. And this is not the execution of a sentence, it becomes the application of a penalty. In other words, detention is being used like a punishment. Detention is now being used like a punishment.''

Sharing his views on the new opening process, Öymen had said, ''The government is meeting with the DEM Party and the PKK on one hand, and on the other hand, it is opening an investigation into the CHP by saying 'you cooperated with them'. What kind of logic is this? These contradictions have not passed through a healthy filter of thought. No one can be called 'you are guilty' out of the blue. Even if a lawsuit is filed against someone, no one can be declared guilty before the decision is finalized. This is incompatible with democracy.''