Actors Protest Against Journalist’s Antisemitism

More than 300 signatures have been collected in protest at the comments of Bugün newspaper journalist Aykut Işıklar, for comments he wrote about theatre actor Nedim Saban.

Erhan Üstündağ

On 16 January, journalist Aykut Işıklar wrote about theatre actor Nedim Saban in the Bugün newspaper, saying:

“Has the Turkish theatre not got problems? Of course it has. But mysteriously, these are never expressed by experienced actors and directors, but only by a dessert-maker [referring to the dessert shop chain that Saban owns]. At each protest, he marches at the front. With his half-Turkish he wobbles his belly and talks. People who know about theatre, do not count Nedim Saban as an actor. Especially not those who know that he is a Turkish citizen with Jewish roots…

[…] Don’t think I am being racist. If he is such a sensitive guy, he should first think about Gaza, about the little children being killed by Israeli bombs. When all goes well, he earns a lot of money selling baklava. I don’t know if he is sending donations or baklava to Gaza.”

Protest against Racism

More than 300 people, among them theatre actors, writers, journalists and academics, have signed a campaign denouncing Işıklar’s antisemitist comments. They have called on the journalist to “apologise to the nation.”

The Turkish branch of the International Union of Theatre Critics has also condemned Işıklar’s column in a statement. The branch further criticised the Turkish Journalists’ Society (TGC) and the Press Council for not reacting to Işıklar’s comments.

Actor Nedim Saban, shown on the picture, has stated that he will go to court against Işıklar. (EÜ/AG)