Oral Çalışlar (born 14 December 1946 in Tarsus) is a Turkish journalist and writer, currently columnist for ''

Radikal ''Radikal'' () was a daily liberal Turkish language newspaper, published in Istanbul. From 1996 it was published by Aydın Doğan's Doğan Media Group. Although Radikal did not endorse a particular political alignment, it was generally consider ...

'' and '' Serbestiyet'', after briefly working as editor-in-chief of '' Taraf''. He was previously a columnist for ''

Cumhuriyet ''Cumhuriyet'' (; English: "Republic") is the oldest up-market Turkish daily newspaper. It has been described as "the most important independent public interest newspaper in contemporary Turkey". The newspaper was awarded the ''Freedom of Press ...

'' (1992–2008) and ''

'' (2008–2013). Today's Zaman, 15 January 2013
Çalışlar becomes Taraf's new editor-in-chief
/ref> In the 1960s he participated in the student movement and contributed to '' Aydınlık.'' He was imprisoned for three years after the 1971 Turkish coup d'état. He became editor of newly re-established '' Aydınlık'' in 1978 and was imprisoned again after the

1980 Turkish coup d'état The 1980 Turkish coup d'état (), headed by Chief of the General Staff General Kenan Evren, was the third coup d'état in the history of the Republic of Turkey, the previous having been the 1960 coup and the 1971 coup by memorandum. During ...

. As a benefactor of an amnesty, he was eventually released in 1988. From 1990 and 1992 he settled in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

, following an invitation by the cities senate. In 1993 he interviewed two personalities of the Kurdish left-wing politics,

Abdullah Öcalan Abdullah Öcalan ( ; ; born 4 April 1948 or 1949), also known as Apo (short for Abdullah in Turkish; Kurdish for "uncle"), is a founding member of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Öcalan was based in Syria from 1979 to 1998. He ...

, the founder of the

Kurdistan Workers' Party The Kurdistan Workers' Party, or the PKK, isDespite the PKK's 12th Congress announcing plans for total organisational dissolution, the PKK has not yet been dissolved de facto or de jure. a Kurds, Kurdish militant political organization and armed ...

(PKK) and Kemal Burkay the chairman of the Socialist Party of Kurdistan for eighteen days. The publications of the interviews later within a book about the Kurdish question in 1993, led to his conviction for two years for separatist propaganda, a verdict he appealed. After several trials concerning the book, he was sentenced for 13 months imprisonment on grounds that he disseminated separatist propaganda. Also this verdict he also appealed. Both, the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD) as well as the Committee to protect Journalists (CPJ) made an opposing statement to Çalışlar being sentenced. Later he was an activist in defense of the freedom of expression. He is the author of around 20 books.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Calislar, Oral 1946 births Living people Turkish journalists Turkish writers People from Tarsus, Mersin Journalists imprisoned in Turkey Cumhuriyet people Radikal (newspaper) people Taraf people