TRT Reporter Faces Berkin Elvan Exile

TRT Haber reporter Elif Akkuş has allegedly been reassigned to a tech support position after sending tweets related to the death of Berkin Elvan.

Responding bianet's inquiries, TRT authorities confirmed the reassignment of Akkuş from being a reporter to tech support. She had 15 years of work experience as reporter.  

“If reassigned, it is not what you think”

Hasan Bahçıvan, a TRT HR Department official made a statement saying that he didn’t have any knowledge whether Akkuş’s position has been reassigned. 

“I must look into the files to find that out. However, we don’t give out information related to these kind of cases,” he said. 

“If she had been reassigned,” Bahçıvan continued, “it is not what you think. We don’t have any reassignments like this. If she had been reassigned, there must be another reason. However, I am not entitled to shared this with you at the moment.” 

Tweets for Berkin

The aforementioned tweets resulting in the reassignment of Akkuş are as follows: 

* We couldn’t stand behind you, Berkin. You are in the hands of Ali İsmail now... #berkinartikyok (#berkinisnolongerhere). 

* Berkin’s death causes a pain in the heart but the deadliest thing is that we have to live with million people who are happy that his funeral will be held in a cemevi.

* Don’t be ashamed, otherwise no longer silence? #BerkinElvan #HoscakalBerkinim (#FarewellMyBerkin) #berkinartikyok (#berkinisnolongerhere).

* You keep quit when children are sleeping and not when they are dead!

* Do you have children? Just image them for a moment... Now assume that they are dead... It is like that! #berkinelvan

* Now a policeman is dead due to tear gas... So, isn’t it bad for his family? Why are you hurting mothers and fathers! Why!

* We don’t have anything else to lose than our chains. (EKN/BM)