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Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) held a commemorative ceremony for journalist Uğur Mumcu, who was murdered 26 years ago today (January 24).
The ceremony, which was held in front of the Uğur Mumcu Monument in Harbiye, İstanbul, was attended by TGS Chair Gökhan Durmuş, Cumhuriyet newspaper Editor-in-Chief Aykut Küçükkaya, journalist and Republican People's Party (CHP) former MP Barış Yarkadaş as well as TGS members.
Investigative journalist and writer Uğur Mumcu lost his life in Ankara on January 24, 1993 after the bomb implanted in his car in front of his house exploded. In the 26th year of his murder, Mumcu is being commemorated in ceremonies held in different cities across Turkey.
In the ceremony held in Harbiye, it was reminded that January 24 also marks the death anniversary of former Security Director of Diyarbakır Gaffar Okkan, who was murdered 18 years ago today.
After the statements of TGS Chair Durmuş and Cumhuriyet Editor-in-Chief Küçükkaya, carnations and issues of Cumhuriyet newspaper were laid on the Uğur Mumcu Monument in Harbiye.
Durmuş: Journalists are still the target today
Making a statement at the ceremony, TGS Chair Gökhan Durmuş emphasized that journalists in Turkey have always been targeted and added that they will continue the tradition of Uğur Mumcu:
"The history of press in Turkey is, unfortunately, full of journalists who were murdered, like Uğur Mumcu. Journalists have always been targeted in Turkey in order to prevent the truths from reaching the public.
"Unfortunately, journalists are still the target today. Journalists are being targeted because there is a will to conceal the truths.
"Uğur Mumcu was one of the symbolic figures of investigative journalism in Turkey. He sometimes worked on a single news for days, even weeks, so as to get the truths to the public. And he did indeed get the truths to the public.
"The ones troubled with this massacred him. But, though they massacred Mumcu and other journalists like him, they could not hide the truths.
"I bow respectfully before him and promise that we will continue his tradition."
Küçükkaya: He drew the picture of today's Turkey
Editor-in-Chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper Aykut Küçükkaya also made a statement at the commemoration. Küçükkaya stated that Mumcu drew the picture of today's Turkey years ago:
"Uğur Mumcu expressed his opinions, views and his love for Turkey on Cumhuriyet newspaper for long years. And we are trying to follow in his footsteps with the same determination.
"Today, we see that Uğur Mumcu actually drew the picture of today's Turkey with what he said in the 1970s and 1980s.
"If Uğur Mumcu had been listened to on those days, the Republic of Turkey and our people would perhaps not be going through the current situation. But, we are not hopeless. We are always looking ahead for a bright Turkey."
* Photographs: Ogün Işık
(OI/EKN/SD)