More Resignations from Cumhuriyet Newspaper

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After the management of Cumhuriyet newspaper changed on September 7, the first resignation came from Aslı Aydıntaşbaş on September 9.

The columnist wrote, "The unjust suffering of the friends at Cumhuriyet and the struggle that they waged for democracy have come down in history. And I have decided not to write [for the newspaper] from now on."

Following her resignation, Aydın Engin, Çiğdem Toker, Hakan Kara, Ahmet Tulgar, Melis Alphan, Bağış Erten and reader representative Güray Öz resigned from the newspaper yesterday (September 9).

Mirgün Cabas, Barbaros Şansal, Mahir Ünsal Eriş and Binnaz Saktanber also announed that they would not write for its supplements.

Aydın Engin: "That was it for me at Cumhuriyet"

While columnist Aydın Engin took leave from the newspaper with an article entitled, "Alas, hurray, I am leaving again" and wrote, "That was it for me at Cumhuriyet, too", another columnist Çiğdem Toker also announced her resignation with an article entitled, "Goodbye."

Hakan Kara also wrote an article titled, "Cumhuriyet comes first" to announce his resignation and said, "It is not possible for me to stay."

Güray Öz: "I wanted to write an article of farewell, but it was not possible"

Reader representative Güray Öz announced his resignation on his Twitter account. Öz said, "I have resigned from my post at Cumhuriyet newspaper. I wanted to write an article of farewell, but it was not possible."

Columnists Bağış Erten, Ahmet Tulgar and Melis Alphan also announced their resignations on Twitter. While Erten wrote, "I am naturally leaving as well", Alphan said, "Neither my ethical values and conscience nor my worldview would let me continue writing at Cumhuriyet."

In the wake of its management change, the chief editor of the Saturday supplement Zeynep Miraç Özkartal Taner previously announced her resignation on Twitter as well.

Bülent Şık: "Management change should be rejected"

Bülent Şık, a columnist at the newspaper, announced his resignation on Twitter by saying, "The management change at Cumhuriyet newspaper is an operation conducted by the judiciary of the AKP (Justice and Development Party). It should be rejected."

Cartoonist Musa Kart, who was previously tried and arrested in the Cumhuriyet case, also resigned from the newspaper.

New resignations on Monday

On September 10, columnists Tayfun Atay and Kemal Can as well as the Digital Media Coordinator of the newspaper Bülent Mumay announced their resignations. Mumay said on Twitter,

"It is an unpleasant thing to find oneself at the Cumhuriyet of the Palace six months after coming to the palace of the press, Cumhuriyet. The journey that I joined upon the invitation of Murat Sabuncu was 'formerly a possibility and very beautiful'. I have just submitted my resignation as well."

What happened?

In the meeting held at Cumhuriyet newspaper on Friday (September 7), Alev Coşkun was elected Cumhuriyet Foundation Board Chair. Coşkun was a witness of prosecution in trial in which newspaper's writers and managers were jailed.

Aykut Küçükkaya was elected Cumhuriyet Editor-in-Chief replacing Murat Sabuncu, who was released on March 9.

After these developments, Chief Editors Bülent Özdoğan and Faruk Eren were discharged. (PT/ÇT/SD/TK)