4 journalists resign from Cumhuriyet following dismissed chief editor’s resignation

* Hazal Ocak with a picture of assassinated journalist Uğur Mumcu

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Four journalists and columnists have announced that they have resigned from Cumhuriyet newspaper. The resignation of the journalists came shortly after Aykut Küçükkaya resigned from the newspaper following his removal from office as the Editor-in-Chief after he had expressed support for the eight dismissed employees of the newspaper.

Cumhuriyet's Editorial Coordinator Serkan Ozan, editor Cafer Kurt and reporter Hazal Ocak have recently quitted their jobs at the daily. Mustafa Kemal Erdemol, a columnist for Cumhuriyet, has also announced his resignation on social media by directing harsh criticisms. Managing Editor Olcay Büyüktaş has also been removed from office.

Ocak: I hope Cumhuriyet will always live

Hazal Ocak, working for the newspaper for 11 years, was the urban and environmental news editor of Cumhuriyet. Announcing her resignation on her Twitter account, Ocak has briefly said, "I would like to say this while bidding farewell. There have been several falling stars in Cumhuriyet in the recent period. And one makes a wish upon seeing a falling star. My wish is this: 'I hope Cumhuriyet will always live'."

Following this message, Aykut Küçükkaya has expressed his support and solidarity with the journalist on social media.

Serkan Ocak, the Editorial Coordinator, has also announced that he has resigned from Cumhuriyet after working there for 23 years, 5 months, 16 days. "There is only one thing left for every real Cumhuriyet [journalist] who flies the nest to say: Long live Cumhuriyet," he has said.

Cumhuriyet columnist Mustafa Kemal Erdemol has announced his resignation on his Twitter account by criticizing Cumhuriyet Foundation Executive Board Chair Alev Coşkun, accusing him of "contempt, being authoritarian, disrespect, arrogance and one-man."

What happened?

By citing financial problems, on November 29, Cumhuriyet newspaper dismissed photojournalist Vedat Arık, copy editing department head Rüya Özalkan, sunday supplement editor Hilal Köse, sports department head Sami Gürel, reporter Tuğba Özer, managing editor Olcay Büyüktaş, reporter Ece Piroğlu and one other employee from the archive department.

All dismissed employees were union members.

Two months ago, on October 1, women's news editor Kübra Köklü, Esra Alus from the economy department and Altan Yağcı, İlker Güneş Doğan and Dilek Kılıç from cumhuriyet.com.tr were dismissed.

Amid these dismissals, the Journalists' Union of Turkey (TGS) made a statement and requested the reinstatement of the journalists. A day later, a protest was held in front of the central office of Cumhuriyet in İstanbul. Editor-in-Chief Aykut Küçükkaya joined the protest as well. He indicated that the journalists had been dismissed without his knowledge. Küçükkaya said that he was on the side of the journalists.

Cumhuriyet newspaper removed Editor-in-Chief Aykut Küçükkaya from office shortly after he protested together with the dismissed employees.

Appointing Küçükkaya as the chief editorial adviser, Cumhuriyet appointed editorial coordinator Serkan Ozan as the acting Editor-in-Chief. However, Ozan announced that he did not accept the position and Küçükkaya announced that he resigned from the newspaper. (HA/SD)