Turkish journalist fired after story on swinger party

Işıl Cinmen

A Turkish journalist has been fired from the daily Habertürk over what she described as her "recent stories," including a report on a swinger party in Istanbul.

"In spite of all the objections of my supervisors, I have been fired by Habertürk, where I had been working for two and a half years, due to my recent stories," Işıl Cinmen told news website Bianet on June 12. 

"It was a bit strange, but everyone tried to prevent my dismissal. However, the result was shaped by an arbitrary decision of the top management," she added, noting that she will not sue Habertürk "despite the injustice."

Cinmen, who had also been writing a column for Habertürk, was known with her reports on controversial issues, ranging from sexual matters to Turkey's Kurdish problem.

Last weekend, she had reported from a nightclub in Istanbul's Maslak neighborhood where a swinger party was held, days after police in southern Turkey raided a villa designed for similar events.

"Why do they do it? How did they start? How did they convince their spouses? What is the position of jealousy in a marriage?" Cinmen had listed the questions in her mind in the conclusion of her latest article, promising to "continue her research."

Daily Habertürk has recently removed Cinmen's article on the swinger party in Istanbul, media industry website MedyaTava reported on June 12.