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Statement from Demirören regarding the ‘Eylem Tok censorship’!

It has emerged that a reporter was pressured regarding a news story covered by DHA about the accident involving the 17-year-old son of fugitive author Eylem Tok, which resulted in one person's death. DHA General Manager Celal Korkut made a statement on the matter.

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Author Eylem Tok and Op. Dr. Bülent Cihantimur’s 17-year-old son, Timur C., caused an accident in Istanbul's Eyüpsultan district last March while driving a luxury vehicle. The accident resulted in the death of 29-year-old Oğuz Murat Aci, a married father of one, and left 4 others injured.

Timur C. fled the scene in another vehicle without notifying medical personnel about the accident. Following the incident, Eylem Tok smuggled her son abroad to prevent him from being prosecuted. The fugitive Eylem Tok and her son Timur C. are still abroad.

Following all this, a voice recording shared on social media raised suspicions that the Demirören Family was involved in the news process regarding the coverage of the accident by the Demirören News Agency (DHA).

According to this, an individual named İlker, who claims to be the driver of Yıldırım Demirören’s wife, Revna Demirören, called the DHA reporter and requested that the accident not be reported as news.

“DO NOT PUBLISH TODAY, REVNA HANIM OR YILDIRIM BEY WILL GET BACK TO YOU”

Upon this, DHA reporter Rojda Altıntaş calls Bülent Cihantimur and speaks with his consultant named Dursun. The reporter states that she attended the funeral of computer engineer Oğuz Murat Aci that day and that his family said Bülent Cihantimur’s son hit Aci and fled.

The consultant named Dursun uses the expressions, “Something like this happened, but I don’t know how it happened.”

Following this conversation, the individual named İlker, who claims to be Revna Demirören’s driver, reaches out to the DHA reporter. İlker tells DHA reporter Altıntaş that the Demirören family’s youngest son is a childhood friend of Eylem Tok’s son, Timur C.:

“Hello, this is İlker. From Demirören, Revna Hanım’s driver. There was this news about Timur, you said ‘I’m going to publish it.’ Yıldırım Bey’s youngest son Cemal is a childhood friend of his. Don’t publish it. I will talk to Murat Bey or Sinan Bey… Just so you know. Do not publish it today, tomorrow Revna Hanım or Yıldırım Bey will get back to you.”

"WAIT FOR NEWS"

In the second phone call, the reporter calls İlker this time and asks how she can be sure that he is indeed Revna Demirören’s driver.

Upon this, the individual named İlker uses the following expressions:

“Don’t do that [the news], I am with Revna Hanım tomorrow anyway, if not, I will have you talk to her. They have already fled, I learned about the issue from the other side. I will have you called anyway, either they will have me talk on the phone. There is Funda Hanım, her assistant, there is Murat Bey, there is Sinan Bey, there is Erdoğan Demirören… I am not a stranger, Mehmet Üstündağ is my childhood friend anyway. Please wait for news from Revna Hanım or Yıldırım Bey.”

REPORTER CONFIRMED THE ALLEGATIONS

The reporter of the news, Rojda Altıntaş, confirmed the allegations in a statement she made today, using the following expressions:

“I was subjected to various pressures by the patronage of the broadcasting organization I am affiliated with and other circles within the scope of my attempts to reach and publish new information regarding the “Eylem Tok” incident, which closely concerns the public.

At this point, I remained silent for 8 weeks due to my concerns for my family. I shared the footage and voice recordings myself last night. Even though I am at peace with my conscience by risking being unemployed from this point on, I apologize for being late.

As a young female journalist, I underline that I am not afraid and that I will definitely continue my journalistic activities through alternative channels.

All attempts regarding the subject, regardless of who or which circles they come from, will be recorded and legally followed up by my lawyer Mehmet Zengin @avmehmetzengin.”

STATEMENT FROM DEMİRÖREN

Demirören News Agency (DHA) General Manager Celal Korkut made a statement on the matter. Korkut used the following expressions on social media:

Statement regarding the ATV accident

“The allegations of DHA reporter Rojda Altıntaş regarding the accident in Kemerburgaz that resulted in the death of Oğuz Murat Aci and saddened us all deeply have come to the agenda.

First of all, let me state that I am experiencing great astonishment due to the statements of our reporter Rojda Altıntaş. She has not been answering phones since yesterday. Altıntaş is still a DHA employee, and no action has been taken or will be taken against her.

As DHA, we have followed and reported on the accident in Kemerburgaz from the very first moment. The incident in question was also constantly kept on the agenda in CNN TÜRK, Kanal D, Hürriyet, Milliyet, and Posta. Kanal D became the first media organization to reach and publish the private footage of the mother, Eylem Tok, at the cafe. CNN TÜRK, on the other hand, hosted the father, Özer Aci, on air multiple times. Hürriyet, of which I was also a member for years, gave the issue front-page coverage for days. The incident in question was even covered in an episode of Kanal D’s series 'Taş Kağıt Makas'. One of the most important reasons why the incident has had such an impact on the public is that Demirören Media has firmly pursued the issue and followed up on the story.

I would have expected my colleague Rojda Altıntaş to share with me clearly what she went through in the phone calls she recorded and the pressure, if any. I would have told her that there is no situation for her to be upset or feel under pressure, and on the contrary, we would continue to follow and publish the news in all its aspects. As a senior colleague, since I could not reach her, I am calling out from here. I expect her to return to work as soon as possible and continue her duties from where she left off.

Announced to Rojda Altıntaş and the public.”