Prominent journalist Selahattin Duman dies at 71

ISTANBUL

Selahattin Duman, a prominent journalist and a well-known figure in the Turkish press, has passed away at the age of 71.

Having been treated in intensive care unit for 19 days as a result of a traffic accident he had last year, Duman had been struggling with health problems since then.

“We are saddened to learn about the death of Selahattin Duman, who has served our profession successfully as a journalist and writer for many years,” said a statement by Turkey’s Journalists Association, of which Duman was a member.

“We share the pain of our esteemed colleague’s family and the press community, and wish them condolence and patience,” the statement said.

Born in 1950, Duman started his career as a reporter in 1970, after graduating from the Higher School of Journalism in Ankara.

The journalist had worked for several daily newspapers based in Ankara before transferring to the Istanbul-based daily Günaydın in 1982.

Having transferred to Sabah in 1986, Duman was also among the founders of the daily Vatan, where he had worked as a columnist for several years.

One of the crowd-drawing figures of the 1990s, Duman has published three books so far, and has appeared in various movies.

Several politicians and public figures extended their condolences over the death of Duman.