Journalist Celal Başlangıç laid to rest

Journalist Celal Başlangıç, the founding editor-in-chief of Artı TV and Artı Gerçek, was laid to rest yesterday at a funeral ceremony held in Cologne, Germany.

Among those who attended Başlangıç's funeral were journalists Hasan Cemal, Banu Güven, Ragıp Duran, Kemal Göktaş, and Erk Acarer, as well as artists Suavi and Ferhat Tunç.

Celal Başlangıç, who had been receiving treatment for cancer for some time, passed away on May 3.

WHO IS CELAL BAŞLANGIÇ?

Celal Başlangıç was born in Istanbul in 1956. He graduated from the Ege University School of Journalism and Public Relations in 1978. He began his journalism career in 1975 at the Ege Ekspres newspaper. He later worked at the Demokrat İzmir (1977) and Politika (1979) newspapers, respectively.

Between 1981 and 1984, he served as the Adana Regional Representative, Domestic Politics Desk Chief, and Managing Editor for the Cumhuriyet newspaper. He became the founding editor-in-chief of the Evrensel newspaper. He was among the founders of the Radikal newspaper. Başlangıç wrote for media outlets such as T24, Gazete Duvar, bianet, and Haberdar.

Başlangıç is the author of the books "Kanlı Bilmece" (Bloody Riddle), "Hayatın Rengi Gökkuşağı" (The Color of Life is Rainbow), "Hayata Söylenmiş Şarkılar" (Songs Sung to Life), "Korku Tapınağı" (Temple of Fear), and "Trilye’den Yusufeli’ne Adatepe’den Derik’e Hayat Ağacıyla Yaşayanlar" (From Trilye to Yusufeli, From Adatepe to Derik: Those Living with the Tree of Life). Başlangıç was married to journalist Ayşe Yıldırım.