İsmail Saymaz

İsmail Saymaz (born 11 July 1980, in Rize[1]) is a Turkish investigative journalist and writer for the newspaper Sözcü.[1] He has published articles and books on the Turkish deep state and Ergenekon, including a 2011 book on links between the 2007 Zirve Publishing House massacre and the 2006 killing of Andrea Santoro,[2][3] and another 2011 book on former police chief Hanefi Avcı.[4] He has won a number of awards for his work.

İsmail Saymaz
Born (1980-07-11) 11 July 1980
Rize, Turkey
NationalityTurkish
Alma materMarmara University
Occupation(s)Journalist, writer
Years active2002–present
Employer(s)Radikal (2002-2016)
Hürriyet (?-2020)
Sözcü (2020-2021; 2023-present)
Halk TV (2021-2023)
Sözcü (2023-present)
Spouse
Şeyda Sayar Saymaz
​
(m. 2020)​
Children1
AwardsMetin Göktepe Journalism Award
Ayşe Zarakolu Freedom of Thought Prize

Career

At the age of 15, Saymaz hosted literature programs on local radios. Later, he participated in discussion programs on local television channels.[5] He first started his journalism career in Rize. He then worked for local newspapers in cities such as İstanbul and Konya. Saymaz began working at Radikal in 2002, working there its shut down on 25 March 2016.[6]

Saymaz has reported of an published books on issues such as human rights violations and freedom. He was prosecuted in nearly twenty cases with a prison sentence of more than a hundred years for various news reports, main one being the Erzincan case.[7] He uncovered the footage of the beating of Ali İsmail Korkmaz, who lost his life during the Gezi Park protests, and shared it with the public.[8] In 2014, he was included in the list of "100 Press Heroes" of the year by Reporters Without Borders. On October 24, 2016, while he was a reporter for Hürriyet newspaper, he conducted an interview with David Keynes, who holds the patent of ByLock, the communication application used by FETÖ/PDY members. After this interview, an investigation was opened against the newspaper and Saymaz was interrogated. In addition, this interview was considered as "evidence" in FETÖ/PDY investigations. Saymaz was awarded by the Turkish Journalists' Association for this interview.

İsmail Saymaz Twitter
@ismailsaymaz

As of today, I have parted ways with Halk TV. I would like to thank the Halk TV workers and our dear viewers, with whom I have worked shoulder to shoulder for nearly 20 months. Please forgive me if I have wronged you.

10 April 2023[9]

On March 17, 2020, he announced that he quit his job at Hürriyet.[10] On May 1, 2020, he announced that he left Best FM, where he hosted the program Bunu Ben de Söylerim. In May 2020, he joined Halk TV and began appearing on the channel with the program Neyse O.[11] In September 2020, he signed an agreement with Sözcü and started working as a reporter and commentator for the newspaper.[12] In August 2021, he left Sözcü and moved to Halk TV.[13] On April 10, 2023, he left Halk TV and returned to Sözcü.

Political views

Saymaz's political and social views have changed throughout his career; while his high school years were dominated by mostly nationalist and patriotic ideologies, his views drastically changed during his university life, in which he adopted a leftist mindset in which he criticized Kemalism.[14] While working at Radikal, Saymaz became famous for his Ergenekon news,[15] increasing his fame by the following years, Saymaz came to popularity once again especially during the 15 July process with his criticism of the trials and his leave of his former leftist identity for more republican, Kemalist and anti-immigrant views.[16][17][18]

He criticized Turkish immigration measures, stating that the country's borders had turned into a roadblock due to the Syria policy and that some immigrants had become suicide bombers.[19] After accusing his colleagues of being pro-Western and not feeling any sense of belonging to their people, he was accused of being a member of pro-AKP policy think-tank SETA.[16][20]

Personal life

Saymaz, whos family is originally from Pazaryolu, Erzurum, was born in Rize on July 11, 1980. He completed his primary and high school education in Rize. His family made a living by farming in İspir in the summer and fishing in Rize in the winter. During his high school years, he adopted an idealist mindset and then became interested in the leftist movement with the books recommended by his literature teacher. He graduated from Marmara University Faculty of Communication.[21]

He married Şeyda Sayar on 16 August, 2020.[22] The couple have one child named Boran.

Books
  • Postmodern Cihat ("Postmodern Jihad"), Kalkedon Yayıncılık, 2010.[23]
  • Nefret - Malatya: Bir Milli Mutabakat Cinayeti ("Hate - Malatya: A Murder of National Consensus"), Kalkedon Yayıncılık, 2011.
  • Hanefi Yoldaş: Gizli Örgüt Nasıl Çökertilir?, Kalkedon Yayıncılık, 2011.
  • Oğlumu Öldürdünüz Arz Ederim - 12 Eylül'ün Beş Öyküsü: İnciraltı Katliamı, Cemil Kırbayır, Cengiz Aksakal, Nurettin Yedigöl, Maraş'ta Dört Yürek, Postacı Yayınevi, 2012
  • Sıfır Tolerans: Polisin Eline Düşünce, İletişim Yayınları, 2012.
  • Sözde Terörist (İletişim Yayınları, 2013)
  • Esas Duruşta Cinayet (İletişim Yayınları, 2014)
  • Ali İsmail-Emri Kim Verdi? (İletişim Yayınları, 2015)
  • Fıtrat - İş Kazası Değil, Cinayet (İletişim Yayınları, 2016)
  • Çay Güzeli (İletişim Yayınları, 2017)
  • Türkiye'de IŞİD (İletişim Yayınları, 2017)
  • Kimsesizler Cumhuriyeti, (İletişim Yayınları, 2018)
  • Şehvetiye Tarikatı (İletişim Yayınları, Ağustos 2019)
  • Balkon Sefası (İletişim Yayınları, Haziran 2020)
  • Tosun Bank (İletişim Yayınları, Kasım 2020)

Awards

References
  1. İletişim Yayınevi, İsmail Saymaz
  2. Today's Zaman, 10 October 2011, Book hints at connection between missionary and priest murders
  3. Hurriyet Daily News, 27 November 2011, Attacks on missionaries continue, journalist says
  4. soL, 8 March 2011, "Hanefi Yoldaş"ın kitabı çıktı
  5. "Yazdığım ilk üç kitapta tutuklanmaktan korktum". Cumhuriyet (in Turkish). 5 March 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  6. "İsmail Saymaz". Milliyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  7. "Postmodern Cihad-Tarikat Siyaset Adalet Üçgeninde Erzincan Davası". D&R. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  8. "Emo Hasan Balıkçı Onur Ödülü İsmal Saymaz'ın" (PDF). Chamber of Electrical Engineers of Turkey. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 June 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  9. İsmail Saymaz [@ismailsaymaz] (10 April 2023). "As of today, I have parted ways with Halk TV. I would like to thank the Halk TV workers and our dear viewers, with whom I have worked shoulder to shoulder for nearly 20 months. Please forgive me if I have wronged you" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. "Gazeteci İsmail Saymaz, Hürriyet'ten ayrıldığını duyurdu". BirGün (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  11. "İsmail Saymaz Halk TV'de! Neyse O Hangi Gün Saat Kaçta? - Medyanoz". Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  12. "İsmail Saymaz'ın yeni adresi belli oldu". Cumhuriyet (in Turkish). 9 July 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  13. "Sözcü'den ayrılan İsmail Saymaz'ın yeni adresi belli oldu". T24 (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  14. "İsmail Saymaz bu sefer fena yakalandı". Beyaz Gazetesi. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  15. "İsmail Saymaz, Ergenekon haberlerimin arkasındayım diye yazdı sonra sildi". Milli Gazete (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  16. "Göçmen tartışması | Banu Güven'den İsmail Saymaz'a: SETA raporu gibi konuşmaya başladın!". T24 (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  17. Haber, Super (2 January 2020). "İsmail Saymaz sol mahalleden neden taşındı?". SuperHaber (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  18. "İsmail Saymaz'dan Atatürk'e lanet okuyan Ali Erbaş'a çok sert sözler". Yeniçağ (in Turkish). 25 July 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  19. "Gazeteci İsmail Saymaz ile Banu Güven sosyal medya üzerinden birbirine girdi". Güneş (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  20. "Irkçı değilim, benim de Suriyeli arkadaşlarım var". Ahval. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  21. AKGÜN, Yenal BİLGİCİ (10 September 2016). "Tartışma programlarının tartışmasız yıldızı: İsmail Saymaz". Hürriyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  22. "İsmail Saymaz ile Şeyda Sayar evlendi". T24 (in Turkish). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  23. Hurriyet Daily News, 15 November 2010, Turkish journalist charged with insulting prosecutor by calling him 'postmodern'
  24. Hurriyet Daily News, 13 July 2010, Hürriyet Daily News voices win Turkish journalism awards
  25. Hurriyet Daily News, 11 May 2011, Human rights watchdog rewards local journalists
  26. Radikal, 6 June 2012, Saymaz'a ifade özgürlüğü ödülü
  27. "İletişim Yayınları: İsmail Saymaz". Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  28. "Emo Hasan Balıkçı Onur Ödülü İsmal Saymaz'ın" (PDF). TMMOB Elektrik Mühendisleri Odası. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 June 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  29. "Abdi İpekçi Ödülü İsmail Saymaz'a". Radikal. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  30. "HDK Emek Meclisi'nden İsmail Saymaz'a ödül". Radikal. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  31. "Türkiye Gazeteciler Cemiyeti Başarı Ödülleri açıklandı". Hürriyet. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  32. "Bu manşet ödül getirdi" [This headline brought an award]. hurriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). 3 December 2016. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  33. "İsmail Saymaz kimdir?". www.biyografi.info (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 26 November 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
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