Condolence message from President Erdoğan for Altan Öymen

Former CHP Chairman Altan Öymen, 93, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer and was receiving treatment in intensive care, has passed away.

Following the news of Öymen's death, the first message from a political figure came from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The President stated, "I learned of his passing with sadness." 

Sharing on his social media account, President Erdoğan said, "I learned with sadness of the passing of former Republican People's Party Chairman, politician, journalist, and author Mr. Altan Öymen. I wish God's mercy upon Mr. Öymen and extend my condolences to his family and the Republican People's Party organization." 

WHO IS ALTAN ÖYMEN?

Altan Öymen, one of the leading figures in Turkish press and politics, was born in Istanbul on June 20, 1932. Originally from Trabzon, Öymen completed his primary and secondary education in the capital after his family moved to Ankara. Graduating from the Ankara University Faculty of Political Sciences in 1955, Öymen quickly drew attention in the journalism profession, which he had entered during his student years. 

Starting his journalism career in 1950 as a parliamentary reporter for the newspaper Ulus, Öymen held various positions in newspapers such as Akşam, Cumhuriyet, Günaydın, Milliyet, and Radikal in the following years.

Between 1962 and 1966, he served as a Press Attaché at the Turkish Embassy in Bonn, Germany. He managed the Anka News Agency, which he founded himself, until 1979. 

Stepping into political life as a member of the Constituent Assembly in 1961, Öymen served in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) after being elected as an Istanbul deputy from the Republican People's Party in the 1977 and 1995 general elections. Elected as chairman at the 27th Extraordinary Congress of the CHP in 1999, Öymen held this position for approximately 15 months. He handed over the duty to Deniz Baykal at the congress held in 2000.

News Source: 12punto