3 journalists detained over Halk TV expert witness interview! Name of the person who recorded it revealed

Journalist Barış Pehlivan was detained by police teams yesterday while preparing to go on air at Halk TV. Pehlivan was referred to the courthouse as part of an investigation conducted on charges of "attempting to influence an expert witness" and "intercepting and recording conversations between individuals." Halk TV presenters Seda Selek and Serhan Asker were also among those detained as part of the same file. Following the detention decision, Halk TV management issued a statement to the public and shared the details of the process.

Halk TV management made a stern statement regarding the detention of the journalists, emphasizing that the report was within the bounds of journalism and did not constitute any crime.

The statement included the following summary:

“Barış Pehlivan called the relevant person to grant them the right to reply to the allegations against them, introduced himself, stated he was calling from Halk TV, and asked for their views on the allegations. He also invited them to the broadcast. This conversation did not take place in a clandestine manner.”

“The person in question stated that they did not accept the accusations and that Ekrem İmamoğlu was not telling the truth. These parts of the conversation were broadcast in full. If the intention had been anything other than journalism, these parts could have easily been cut.”

DISCLOSED THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO RECORDED THE CONVERSATION

“The person who recorded this conversation is not Barış Pehlivan, but Halk TV Program Coordinator Kürşad Oğuz. Oğuz recorded the source's statements with a journalistic reflex. The person who decided to broadcast it is Halk TV Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş.”

The statement noted that journalistic activity is being portrayed as a crime, emphasizing that what should actually be questioned is whether this investigation is in accordance with the law.

BARIŞ PEHLİVAN: INSTEAD OF JUDGING ME, YOU SHOULD HAVE APPRECIATED ME

In his statement, Barış Pehlivan denied the accusations against him and said he had no involvement in the process of recording or broadcasting the conversation.

He used the following expressions in his statement to the prosecutor's office:

“I have no responsibility or involvement in any of the acts that the prosecutor's office alleges as crimes. I did not record the conversation, I did not share it with anyone, I did not publish it, and I did not disseminate it anywhere.”

Stating that journalistic activity is being portrayed as a crime, Pehlivan continued:

“The only thing I did in the matter that is the subject of this investigation is to ask a question as a journalist to the person at the center of the allegations. I have no involvement in any other act beyond that. While I should normally be appreciated for doing this, I am facing an accusation that I have no connection to.”

News Source: 12punto