Statement from Halk TV on İsmail Saymaz: Has he left?

As claims that journalist İsmail Saymaz had parted ways with Halk TV became a trending topic on social media, an official statement regarding the matter came from the Halk TV management. While the disappearance of Saymaz's articles from the writers' page on the channel's website triggered speculation, it was stated that this situation was caused by a technical glitch.

Saymaz was detained last month as part of the investigation into the Gezi Park protests and was later released under judicial control. Following claims circulating on social media this evening that "Saymaz's articles were removed from Halk TV" and "Saymaz was fired"—regarding the journalist who was known to have taken a break from his writing during this period—the channel responded.

STATEMENT FROM HALK TV

Halktv.com.tr Editor-in-Chief Bengü Şap Babaeker clearly denied the allegations in a post on her social media account. Babaeker used the following expressions:

"Look at the things we have to deal with at a time when the entire profession is under siege, and at the very hours when two of our colleagues are being brought before a judge on incredible charges..."

"No, İsmail Saymaz has not left Halk TV, and no, Saymaz's articles have certainly not been removed from the site. We have resolved the issue for now and put Saymaz back in his place, but we could not figure out why his articles 'flew' off the writers' page."

News Source: 12punto