We stand by our report

BirGün staff gave statements over the ‘extras’ report: We stand by our report

I told the gathered extras that this was my first work experience and asked them what sort of jobs they’d done before or which film sets they’d been on. They told me about the work they’d done and explained that, in exchange for 950 TL, they were there that day to attend a ‘party talk’, as stated in the message they’d received. We waited until 10.30 am for the extras and those from the casting agency to gather. When I saw that the people who’d come as extras had gathered and realised the story was unfolding, I began recording and taking footage. At around 10.30, we boarded the coaches. I told the people who had come as extras that this was my first work experience and asked to take a souvenir photo; I was photographed on the coach and we published this after the news report.

The coach arrived at the Rauf Denktaş Congress Centre in Sarıyer before 12.00. We got off the coach at the back of the cultural centre along with the other extras. After being kept waiting for a while, we gathered at the back of the cultural centre. First, people whom I assumed to be the directors of the casting agency collected us into a group. They then made us repeat the slogans we were to say inside. They separated out those who could whistle. We began entering the hall at around 12.00. The older extras were placed in the lower section of the hall, whilst the younger ones were positioned in the upper section. I sat in a seat at the back of the upper tier so that I could get a good view of the hall, and from where I was, I recorded a video and took photographs. They handed us flags and told us to wave them, whilst people I assumed to be from the casting agency gave us instructions, urging us to chant slogans and shout loudly.

I noticed that the casting directors giving us these instructions were wearing CHP Youth Branch vests. I even saw a few of the extras who’d arrived by coach being made to wear CHP vests as they moved about amongst the upper rows of seats.

As I headed towards the entrance to the hall, I was asked to be searched by police officers. However, someone I believed to be an official from the casting agency told the police officers, “This person is also an extra from our agency,” and I entered the hall without being searched by the police. After waiting in the hall for a while, I went to the loo to write up the report. The casting directors waiting outside the hall told me I couldn’t leave the hall until the programme had finished. So I had no choice but to wait for the programme to end; it finished around 14.30–15.00, and we arrived at the Cast34 agency’s headquarters in Mecidiyeköy. Normally, extras are paid in front of Trump AVM, but as it was raining that day, we went to the Cast34 agency’s headquarters; I waited inside for about an hour, collected my ID, and went to my workplace to write the news story.

“I did not commit any offence in connection with the news story I wrote. I do not accept the allegations levelled against me.”

UĞUR KOÇ: WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR REPORT

Our Web Coordinator, Uğur Koç, stated in his testimony: “We reviewed the report. We published it because we believed it to be accurate and that it had news value. Moreover, the accuracy of our report has since been proven by additional information that has come to light. We are certain of the accuracy of our report and have confidence in it. We stand by our report.”

Koç added: “There is no criminal element in our report. The complaint alleges that we fabricated the story through our reporting; however, it is the complaint itself that is fabricated, rather than the report, the accuracy of which has been established. Considering that the content of this complaint petition constitutes the offence of fabricating a crime, as defined in Article 271 of the Turkish Penal Code, I hereby bring this to the attention of the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. I do not accept these allegations.”

BERKANT GÜLTEKİN: EVERY LINE OF THE REPORT IS TRUE

Our Web Coordinator, Berkant Gültekin, stated in his testimony: “Every line of the news report is true. The content of the report has been verified by the reporter’s testimony. If you examine the content of the report, it is evident that it is supported by photographs. Subsequently, we also shared videos on our website and social media accounts regarding the veracity of the report.”

“We stand by our news content,” said Gültekin, adding, “Developments reported in the press following the story also corroborated our report.”

PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED

Following the completion of the statements, Ebru Çelik, Berkant Gültekin and Uğur Koç addressed the press.

Ebru Çelik said, “I produced a news report. I recounted the course of events from start to finish in my report. We then published the report, and it caused quite a stir. Because they were deceiving the public by gathering extras there. In my statement, I explained every detail of my report. We are absolutely certain of our report.”

Çelik added: “This is as much a success for BirGün newspaper as it is for me. Because I have been trained at BirGün from my internship to the present day; I learnt how to follow up on news stories and how to write them from BirGün staff. I cannot take sole credit for this success. My colleagues at BirGün newspaper also deserve recognition; I would like to thank them.”

Berkant Gültekin, meanwhile, said: “The report is accurate from start to finish. We have given our statements to the prosecution. From our perspective, there is nothing suspicious about the situation. We are experiencing the consequences of the panic caused by those whose true colours have been exposed being caught red-handed. We stand by our report. We will continue to write the truth and the facts, and just as BirGün has done for the past 22 years, we will continue to do so in the future,‘ he stated.

Uğur Koç, meanwhile, said, ’We have been on the same page from day one; we stand by our report. Despite all the attacks on social media, the attacks and slander levelled by political figureheads and certain media figures, we have repeatedly stated that we stand by our report, that we trust it, and that we know it is based on concrete information. We remain in the same position today,” he said.

Note: This article is translated from the original article titled BirGün çalışanları ‘figüran’ haberi nedeniyle ifade verdi: Haberimizin arkasındayız, published in BirGün newspaper on July 29, 2026.