Nazmi BİLGİN
Head of Committee
Born in 1950 in Erzurum, Bilgin began his career in journalism in 1971 in the Son Havadis Newspaper. Over the years, Bilgin has been awarded “Journalist of the Year” six times by various press organizations. After serving for 14 years as Vice Chair and Secretary General, Bilgin was elected as Chairperson of the Association of Journalists in 1992. Bilgin has been serving as Chairperson of the Association of Journalists since 1992.
Nursun EREL
Senior Journalist Rep. Member
Nursun Erel began her professional career in journalism in the Anadolu Agency, and later worked for many years as a business correspondent for Tercüman newspaper… In her 30 years as a journalist Erel has worked as a political correspondent, foreign policy correspondent, news director, editor, a readers’ representative, columnist, and has carried out many high-profile interviews… Erel also briefly worked as a consultant for Adnan Kahveci and Tansu Çiller…
Özlem GÜNEL TEKŞEN
Jurist Member
Lawyer Özlem Günel Tekşen graduated from Antalya Adem Tolunay High School and continued her studies at Başkent University Law Faculty from which she graduated in 2009. Having worked for three years in the “Gelincik Merkezi” –a project implemented by the Ankara Bar Association aiming to combat violence against women and children- she later began working as a freelance lawyer. Günel-Tekşen also acted as Vice-Chair for the Ankara Bar Association’s “Gelincik Project” for one term. Her work in the “Tekşen Law Office” primarily focuses on women’s rights, human rights, law of domestic relations, freedom of expression and of the press, and public health legislation. She has attended many discussion panels, TV and radio shows as a speaker.
Dr. Hülya ERASLAN
Academic Member
Dr. Hülya Eraslan finished her undergraduate studies at Ankara University, Faculty of Communication- Department of Journalism. She finished her master’s degree in Ankara University Social Sciences Institute, Department of Journalism with her thesis titled “Agos (1996-2005) the History of a Turkish-Armenian Newspaper” in 2007, she later published her thesis as a book that same year. Her work was awarded the Young Social Scientists Award in 2009. Eraslan attended Georgetown University between 2011 and 2012 as a research student through a research grant provided by the Council of Higher Education of Turkey. She completed her PhD in Gazi University Social Sciences Institute, Department of Journalism in 2016 with her dissertation titled “How the Raid on the Ottoman Bank (1896) was Portrayed in the Armenian Press”. Eraslan worked as a research assistant between 2005 and 2019 in Hacı Bayram Veli University –formerly known as Gazi University- Faculty of Communications, Department of Journalism. Eraslan has lectured on Children’s Rights and Communication, Language in the Press, and Magazine Journalism. As of December 2019 Eraslan has been working as an assistant professor in Ankara University, Faculty of Language, History and Geography- Department of Armenian Language and Culture.
Petek Us GÜLBİTTİ
Young Journalist Rep. Member
Gülbitti was born in Ankara, in 1972. She graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Communication in 1994. She began working as a journalist in Milliyet Newspaper in 1993. Until 1999, Gülbitti worked as a news reporter, lifestyle editor, and as a political correspondent. She later worked as a correspondent for Kanal D and 24 TV. Between 2018 and 2022, Gülbitti worked as a news director for the Press Unit of the Metropolitan Municipality of Ankara.
Feridun Fazıl ÖZSOY
CSO Rep. Member
Born in Erzurum, Feridun Fazıl Özsoy graduated from Tokat Teachers Training College, and Kazım Karabekir Institute of Educational Sciences, Department of Turkish Language Teaching. After completing a master’s degree in Ankara University, Faculty of Educational Sciences- Department of Educational Administration and Supervision, Özsoy worked as a teacher and administrator for more than ten years. In 1990, Özsoy passed TRT’s (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) producer exam and was later appointed as a producer to TRT Erzurum Radio. Özsoy retired from his position in 2019 and continues to write a daily column for Erzurum Pusula Newspaper. Özsoy was elected as the Chairperson for the Eastern Anatolian Journalists’ Association in 2000 and continues to serve in this capacity. He also served as the Vice Chair of the Federation in Journalists of Turkey for ten years. As a founding member, Özsoy continues to serves as the Chair of the Eastern Anatolian Journalists’ Federation, and as the Deputy Chair of the Confederation of Journalists in Turkey. The owner of many awards for his work in education, production and journalism, Özsoy is also married and is the father of three children.
Sedat BOZKURT
Senior Journalist Rep. Member
Sedat Bozkurt graduated from Gazi University Press Academy, and has worked for various news outlets such as Günaydın, ANKA News Agency, Yeni Yüzyıl, Yeni Bınyıl, and TV8. After working as news director for ATV Ankara, Bozkurt continued his career in Birgün Newspaper and the New Anatolian. He has lectured in Bilkent University and Gazi University. Bozkurt was also Ankara representative for FOX TV.
Yusuf KANLI
Project Director & Member
Born in Cyprus in 1959, Kanlı began his professional career in journalism in 1978 at the Turkish (Hürriyet) Daliy News. Kanlı also worked for the Anadolu Agency. Returning to the Daily News in 1995, Kanlı worked as executive editor, and later editor-in-chief of the newspaper. Kanlı, who is the Vice Chair of the Association of Journalists, continues writing weekly articles in Turkish for a variety of newspapers in Turkey and Northern Cyprus.
Tuğrul Çomu
CSO Rep. Member
Çomu graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Communication, Department of Journalism. Çomu completed a master’s degree in Gender Studies, again at Ankara University, and pursued a PhD in the Department of Journalism in the same university. Çomu currently works as a researcher at Middle East Technical University- Group of Science Communication. Çomu is one of the founders of the Alternative Informatics Association and is also a member of the Board of Directors; Çomu is also a member of the New Media Studies Congress’ Regulatory Board. Çomu’s academic interests focus on new media, media literacy, participatory culture, and visual culture.
Kağan Kıraç
FSTP Expert & Member
Born in 1992 in Ankara, Kağan Kıraç entered the civil society sector in 2018 via the Sivil Düşün programme. He began working for the Media for Democracy/Democracy for Media (M4D) Project implemented by the Association of Journalist as a finance manager in 2020. Kıraç is a founding member of Sivil Topluma Artı Derneği (Civil Plus Association) and is also a member of its Supervisory Board. He currently works as a Financial Support to Third Parties Expert for the second term of the M4D Project.