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Hasan Cemal (born 1944) is a Turkish journalist, writer and grandson of Djemal Pasha. He was the editor of Cumhuriyet from 1981 to 1992, and of Sabah from 1992 to 1998. In 2013 he resigned from the Milliyet newspaper after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had criticised his article supporting Milliyets publication of minutes of a parliamentary visit to Öcalan, and Milliyet suspended him and refused to publish his returning column.

He is best known for acknowledging and apologizing for the Armenian Genocide, a crime which was perpetrated by Pasha. His 2012 book on the subject (written in response to the 2007 assassination of his friend Hrant Dink) is titled 1915: Ermeni Soykırımı (English: 1915: Armenian Genocide).

Background

Hasan Cemal was born in 1944 in Istanbul, Turkey. In 1965, Cemal graduated from Ankara University with a Political Science Degree.

Career

Cemal began working for the weekly Hakkı Devrim in 1969 and soon thereafter, he became an Ankara representative of the Cumhuriyet newspaper. Between the years 1981 and 1992, he was the chief editor of the Cumhuriyet newspaper. He resigned in January 1992 in a dispute over editorial policy: "I tried to widen the spectrum, to keep the balance. But they (old-guard intellectuals) always resisted, calling us plotters, tools of big business and the United States". He became the editor of the Sabah newspaper in May 1992, remaining in the position until 1998. From 1998 he worked for Milliyet.

During the heightened tensions between the PKK and the Turkish government, Hasan Cemal would be noted for conducting interviews with notable PKK leaders such as Abdullah Öcalan and Murat Karayilan. In 2013 the Milliyet newspaper he wrote for suspended him for two weeks after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had criticised his article supporting Milliyets publication of minutes of a parliamentary visit to Öcalan. When Milliyet then refused to publish his returning column, he resigned.

Armenian Genocide

Hasan Cemal always believed in the official Turkish governmental narrative that the genocide did not occur. However, after Hasan Cemal traveled to Armenia and visited the Armenian Genocide memorial, he published a book entitled 1915: The Armenian Genocide. The book would go on to be a bestseller in Turkey. Cemal remarked in his book, “To deny the Genocide would mean to be an accomplice in this crime against humanity.”

The book highlights Cemal's "personal transformation" and his experiences in Armenia. While Cemal was in Armenia, he had an opportunity to meet and have lunch with Armen Gevorkyan, the grandson of the man who assassinated his grandfather Djemal Pasha in 1922.

Cemal would eventually apologize to all Armenians for the Armenian Genocide. Cemal also has insisted that the Turkish government should also apologize to the Armenians for the Armenian Genocide as well.

Works

Some of Hasan Cemal's works include:

• 1915: Ermeni Soykırımı (English: 1915: Armenian Genocide; 2012)
• Barışa Emanet Olun (English: Be One with Peace; 2011)
• Türkiye'nin Asker Sorunu (English: Turkey's Military Problem; 2010)
• Cumhuriyet'i Çok Sevmiştim (English: I Liked This Republic; 2005)
• Kürtler (English: Kurds; 2004)
• Kimse Kızmasın, Kendimi Yazdım (English: No one should be mad, I Wrote Myself; 1999)
• Özal Hikayesi (English: The Story of Özal; 1989)
• Tarihi Yaşarken Yakalamak (English: To Live with History while Living; 1987)
• Demokrasi Korkusu (English: Fear of Democracy; 1986)
• Tank Sesiyle Uyanmak (English: Waking up to the Sound of Tanks; 1986)

Awards

Some of Hasan Cemal's award include:

• The Fıkra Award from the Doruktakiler ve Gazeteciler Cemiyeti (1989)
• Sedat Simavi Award for Journalist of the Year (1986)

See also

• List of visitors to Tsitsernakaberd

References

1. Sassounian, Harut (5 April 2011). "Cemal Pasha's Grandson Says Genocide, Morgenthau's Great Granddaughter Doesn't". Armenian Weekly. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
2. ^ Hurriyet Daily News, 19 March 2013, Daily Milliyet parts ways with prominent journalist Cemal after İmralı leaks debate
3. ^ Baydar, Yavuz. "Facing Turkey's Past: Struma and 1915". Huffington Post. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
4. ^ "Hasan Cemal kimdir? (Who is Hasan Cemal?)". Bugun (in Turkish). Retrieved 24 May 2013.
5. ^ "Hasan Cemal Biyografisi". Sondakika (in Turkish). Retrieved 24 May 2013.
6. ^ Hugh Pope, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 1992, Media : It's News Vs. Nudes in the Turkish Press : The glitzy Sabah daily and the respected Cumhuriyet reflect clashing cultures at a continental crossroads.
7. "Armenian Genocide 98th Anniversary Commemoration to be Held in Times Square on April 21, 2013 During Genocide Awareness Month". PR Newswire. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
8. ^ "Author Hasan Cemal Fired from Milliyet Newspaper". Armenian Mirror-Spectator. 20 March 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
9. ^ "Knights to Honor Hasan Cemal". Armenian Weekly. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
10. "Cemal Pasha's Grandson Publishes a Book, "1915 Armenian Genocide"". GenocidePreventionNow. Winter 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
11. ^ "Hasan Cemal, Grandson of Cemal Pasha, Apoligizes for the Genocide". The Armenian Observer. 6 April 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
12. "Turkey's Gul Deems Shameful The Dismissal of Journalist That Wrote Book About Armenian Genocide". NEWS.am. 3 April 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013. Cemal had visited Armenian capital city Yerevan's Genocide Memorial in 2008 and apologized to the Armenians for the genocide.

External links

• Hasan Cemal's speech during an event entitled "From Der Zor to Dzidzernagapert" held in Los Angeles, March 31.
• Hasan Cemal interviewed during the German film Aghet about the Armenian Genocide
• Hasan Cemal at t24.com.tr

Template:Persondata

• Use dmy dates from May 2013
• Turkish journalists
• People from Istanbul
• Turkish writers
• 1944 births
• Ankara University alumni
• Living people