She broke her silence after 240 days: Imprisoned Ayşe Barım criticizes the industry!

Talent manager Ayşe Barım, who was arrested on January 27 following a detention process and placed in Silivri Prison, spoke for the first time on the 240th day of her imprisonment. In a written interview with Cansu Çamlıbel from T24, she described both the deterioration of her health and the resentment she feels due to not receiving the support she expected from the industry. Barım stated that she still cannot understand the background of her arrest.

Ayşe Barım also criticized the industry. Stating that she told many of the producers she worked with, “Please make a statement, tell them who chooses the actors, who the boss of the series is,” Barım expressed that no one made a statement and that they did not want to get involved.

Ayşe Barım used the expressions, 'They did not stand by me, I will never forget this for the rest of my life. I experienced such a great disappointment… I am also mourning this here.'

SEVERE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND "RISK OF SUDDEN DEATH"

"I write down my thoughts a little, I keep a diary. I wish I could tell what happened to me with all clarity one day, without fear. It seems impossible... What I am going through is unbelievable," said Barım, explaining that her complaints of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease), which was diagnosed two years ago, have worsened under prison conditions. She said she has fainted seven times in the last four months and that doctors have confirmed these fainting spells carry a "risk of sudden death."

Barım explained that because of the dysfunction in her heart, blood is not being pumped sufficiently, and that her fainting spells stem from this. She emphasized that despite having two stents placed in her brain ten years ago, a new aneurysm was detected, which needs to be corrected with surgery, but that the post-prison recovery process cannot be provided here. Stating that anxiety disorder and panic attacks trigger her illnesses, she described her body as "two separate bombs ready to explode."

"THE REASON FOR ARREST SURPRISED ME"

Barım said she was greatly surprised by the allegation against her of "aiding in the attempt to overthrow the government of the Republic of Turkey or to prevent it from performing its duties." She stated that she has never been interested in politics throughout her life and does not even know the scope of the law in question. Denying the accusations regarding Gezi Park, she argued that she only went to Gezi once, together with her actors, and that this is proven by documents. She stated that her computers and financial records were examined but no criminal element was found.

THE INDUSTRY'S REACTION AND LYNCHING ALLEGATIONS

Barım explained that she was targeted on social media following accusations of monopolization in the industry and that this quickly turned into more serious accusations. Saying that she requested support from many producers but only two producers made official statements, she criticized, "The industry did not stand by me, I am also mourning this here. Could this silence have made room for my victimization?" She stated that when actors tried to defend her, troll accounts fueled a lynching campaign.

THE BACKGROUND OF THE WORDS "I AM BEING HELD HOSTAGE"

Barım expressed that she takes the comments linking her arrest to the March 19 process seriously; she shared the thought that it might be a "mine-clearing" operation carried out with the assumption that her influence in the industry could be effective on actors. In this context, she reacted by saying, “If one of the reasons for my arrest was preparation for March 19, then it means I am being held hostage here on behalf of an entire industry. Shame on them.”

KAVALA AND ALABORA ALLEGATIONS

Barım stated that her acquaintance with Osman Kavala was not before the Gezi process; she only met him in 2014 on the occasion of the Turkey launch of Fatih Akın's film The Cut, and that this is fixed with HTS records. She said that her meeting with Memet Ali Alabora was distorted by the prosecutor's office, and that her words regarding the Actors' Union were taken out of context and presented as evidence.

PRISON LIFE AND DAILY ROUTINE

Describing her days in Silivri as "Very hard to endure. A lonely life with no socialization whatsoever, no matter what," Barım stated that while she appreciates some humane approaches by the management of the No. 9 Closed Prison, the general rules are challenging. She expressed that the food is of poor quality, she has lost 30 kilos, and muscle loss continues. She explained that she reads books in her spare time, watches television, and follows her actors' series and makes ratings predictions.

"I JUST WANT TO LIVE FREELY AND I DO NOT WANT TO DIE HERE"

Stating that she leads a life away from politics and is someone interested in art, nature, and animals, Barım reiterated that she is not politicized and will not be. Expressing that she does not accept the injustices against her innocence, honor, and labor, she summarized her feelings with the sentence, "I just want to live freely and I do not want to die here." She added that she misses hugging her loved ones, a moment when the door is not locked, cooking, listening to music, swimming in the sea, and her home.

PROCESS AND LEGAL CALENDAR

Ayşe Barım’s second hearing will be held on September 30. At the end of the interview, Barım reiterated her helplessness by stating that she wishes she could tell what she has been through without fear, but that this seems "impossible" for now.