As journalist Kamil Oğuz wandered the rainy streets of Istanbul, he searched for a story with every step he took. His eyes would fixate on the faces of people, walls, and street corners. One day, while waiting at a tram stop, his gaze landed on a poster of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Erdoğan was serving as the Mayor of Istanbul, trying to transform the city. Kamil decided to investigate the truths behind this transformation.
With his journalistic spirit, Kamil followed Erdoğan’s trail, examining municipal bids, projects, and investments. Many praised Erdoğan’s success during this period, but Kamil sensed something was amiss. He began his work in silence, attending city council meetings, scrutinizing documents, and interviewing witnesses. Many were reluctant to speak with him, but Kamil continued to see and write the story with his eyes open.
One day, at a bid meeting, Kamil came across a document. There was concrete evidence of bid rigging. He bravely sent these documents to his newspaper. At first, there was no reaction, but Kamil continued to write the story. Other journalists started to collaborate with him. The bid rigging caught the public’s attention. Erdoğan tried to defend himself, but Kamil’s reports were revealing the truth.
When Kamil completed the story, his newspaper made a significant impact. The people of Istanbul took to the streets after learning about the bid rigging. Erdoğan was forced to resign. Kamil had uncovered the truth as a journalist. However, this victory led to a bitter end for him. Threats, pressure, job loss… Kamil continued his fight but paid the price.”
The story above emerged as I searched for my dear friend Kamil Oğuz online and then asked artificial intelligence about him without providing any details. I simply requested it to write the information as a short story. I decided to publish it as is because it resonated with Kamil.
However, the story contains a reality that could never happen in Turkey: the Turkish people did not take to the streets after the December 17-25 events, nor would Erdoğan ever resign despite numerous corruption scandals and incriminating tapes.
Kamil was a reporter in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality during the period when AKP leader Erdoğan began his political journey with just a ring to his name. He was one of the few journalists to witness Erdoğan showing his ring at that time.
Today is March 1. Tomorrow is Kamil’s birthday. I had marked the date on my calendar. Every year, I would send him a brief message and wish him a happy birthday. Now, 2.5 years have passed since his departure. If he were still alive, he would be an exiled journalist like us. Our friendship, which began in 1994, ended with the passing of Mehmet Kamil Oğuz on July 9, 2021. He was a truly beautiful person who had reached perfection, as his name suggests. Kamil worked until the last moment of his life to expose the lawlessness in Turkey, following in the footsteps of journalist Kemal Diyarbekir, who passed away in 2001 and had given a statement to Hürriyet newspaper with the headline “A reporter dies in the news.”
Tomorrow (March 2) also marks the Media Promotion and Solidarity Meeting organized by the International Journalists Association (IJA). This event will bring together many well-known journalists. If Kamil Oğuz were still with us, he would undoubtedly participate in this program. The event is critically important for highlighting the significance of supporting exiled journalists.
Not only Kamil’s story but the stories of all victims of this process are being courageously brought to the world by a handful of exiled journalists who have been resisting the pressures of a dark regime since 2016. Journalists who work under impossible conditions, fight for the freedom to report news, and often face threats are heroes who wield their pens for freedom and justice. Their lives are still in danger, even thousands of miles away from their homeland.
Listening to, understanding, and showing solidarity with the stories of exiled journalists is crucial for the future of press freedom. Exiled journalists, who continue to write the truth despite all censorship and pressures, stand at the forefront of resistance.
Supporting these journalists and standing by them is part of human rights advocacy and a testament to our commitment to human rights values. The IJA Media Promotion and Solidarity Meeting is an effort to protect democratic values by standing against all attacks on press freedom. This gathering is a declaration of faith in the journalism profession and press freedom.
Kamil Oğuz’s eyes, still roaming the rainy streets of Istanbul, watch over us. Perhaps the greatest attribute of a true journalist was to see the stories in people’s eyes and write them down. Kamil Oğuz was an unforgettable person for me. May he rest in peace. His sacrifice should inspire those who seek justice and support journalists in their pursuit. Thus, if you are absent tonight, we will be one person short.
