We Speak with Murat Seçkin as to His Claims about Kabataş Incident and Elif Çakır’s Response Tweets

We have asked Murat Seçkin about his claims regarding Kabataş incident following his article about Elif Çakır's responses via Twitter, why he waited till now to explain his witnessing, and when and why he left pro-government Star daily.

"I wrote at the first opportunity"

Why did you feel the need to write this after all this time?

Some facts are talked about 10 or 15 years later. I was working for Star that period and had no channel to share it.

I now find the chance to do that after leaving Star and wrote it on my column at the first opportunity.
It wouldn't maybe even occur to me to do that if the decision as to Gezi trial hasn't been announced because I was not the one who was supposed to share it.

Then who was it?

The editor in charge of that page or any administrators of the newspaper could have done that.

CLICK - "KABATAŞ INCIDENT WAS A FICTION", SAYS FORMER STAR EDITOR

"Some others too at the newspaper knew it"

When this happened, did some others talk or hear about it? Or it was only you?

I knew that some people other than me knew it. I don't know in what manner people talked about this because I was banished from politics department. I heard of something about a discussion but don't have a solid information.

So you don't have anything to do with that page...

No, I don't. I heard this during a conversation that took place after six months-one year pass over the news published.

Army called for duty on February 28, now prosecutors are being called for duty

Elif Çakır had some statements via Twitter. She says she spoke to Zehra Devecioğlu and calls prosecutors for duty upon your allegations. What do you think about that?

The journalist should answer to prosecutor instead of calling for duty. It's like calling army for duty...In my article I had written "this article smacks of February 28 [military memorandum] and Fadime Şahin". Mindset of the period was "call army for duty", now it is "call prosecutor for duty".

Develioğlu gave two testimonies as to this incident. I would like the date of the testimony Çakır calls "Has the prosecutor too read through the eyes" to be found out. I asked why the dates of these documents are being kept confidential. She didn't respond do that. She should answer to prosecutors instead of calling them for duty.

"There was footage too! If there is any sound recording, may she immediately hand it to prosecutor"

Elif Çakır says she has the sound recording of the interview...

This all started with the footage said to "cause indignation". Is there a sound recording? May she immediately hand it to prosecutor.

Moreover, she may feature sound recording if she wishes to do so. I have nothing to apologize for. I simply voiced a dialogue between Elif Çakır and the editor on my column.

A journalism understanding in which right to speak ends..."

When and why did you leave Star?

It has been five months. I wanted to do something different.

Journalism has been really very difficult especially after Gezi protests. A journalism understanding in which right to speak ends becomes dominant, which is unpleasant. I have been a journalist as of 19 years old, it was hard to deal with it but I had to stay for financial reasons. (EKN/TK)

Click here to read the article in Turkish