Owner of now-defunct Nokta magazine Durgun: We did a historic job

“What we did was historic,” he told Today's Zaman for Monday Talk. “The Ergenekon investigation now shows that our stories deciphered some pieces of the puzzle that is the country's history.”

In April 2007, the weekly news magazine published excerpts from a journal it said belonged to former naval commander Adm. Özden Örnek which contained details of coup attempts dating back to 2004. An investigation was launched following the allegation -- not into Örnek and his coup plans but into Nokta Editor-in-Chief Alper Görmüş. The newsweekly was shut down by its owner, Durgun, several weeks after a police raid on the office.

According to the Nokta report, Örnek, a disciplined journal writer since 1957, recorded every detail about the plan by Land Forces Commander Gen. Aytaç Yalman, Air Forces Commander Gen. İbrahim Fırtına and Gendarmerie Commander Gen. Şener Eruygur -- currently standing trial as one of the main suspects in the case of Ergenekon, a clandestine gang charged with plotting to overhtrhow the governmnent -- to stage a coup they called “Sarıkız” (Blonde Girl) in 2004 when they were still in the military, but gave up due to the unwillingness of some higher-ranking officers, the US attitude at the time and the democratic stance of then-Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Özkök. Örnek's journal suggested that Eruygur then planned a coup by himself that he called “Moonlight” (Ayışığı).

Ayhan Durgun, a passionate publisher with a fresh spirit Owner of now-defunct Nokta news magazine, Ayhan Durgun was born in Ankara. He obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in finance in İzmir and is currently working on his doctorate. He worked as a Finance Ministry revenues department controller for about 10 years. Since 1998, he has been a certified public accountant. He also works as a consultant for investors willing to discover opportunities in Turkey's neighborhood -- nowadays especially in Syria. Durgun is married and has two children.

In March, the İstanbul Prosecutor's Office submitted an additional indictment in the trial of Ergenekon, an illegal gang-like and neo-nationalist formation, in which the alleged coup diaries are also being included as evidence of the organization's plots.

Durgun answered our questions related to his closure of Nokta and his future plans for it.

When you look back, what do you think of your journey as a publisher of the magazine which touched upon some of the most controversial issues in Turkey?

We did a good job and showed that there is independent media in Turkey. The Ergenekon investigation now shows that our stories deciphered some pieces of the puzzle that is the country's history. However, our intentions have been recounted in a distorted way. We were not pro or against the military's approach. Apparently, there are some people in the military acting wrongly. We just informed the public that there are some people in the military operating undemocratically and illegally to execute a military coup in the country.

Did you ever imagine there could be an organization like Ergenekon?

I would never have imagined it. However, the process which was planned to end with a military coup must have somehow been supported by an organized structure because this is how it happened in the past. I had thought people would no longer support military coups. We lived through those painful days of coups. This country hanged one of its prime ministers and now regrets doing so. Therefore, I'd have thought that no one would support coups.

Do you think there could be military interventions in the future?

There will no longer be any military coups because everything is being openly discussed in Turkey. And if coup supporters are being punished, there should be no attempts at further military interventions.

Do you believe the suspects will be punished?

There is an ongoing judicial process. Even putting these suspects on trial is an important step. They used to be untouchable. I believe Nokta's stories helped Turkey's process of democratization.

Considering all the difficulties that you faced and that you were eventually forced to close down the weekly, would you ever re-publish Nokta?

I never regretted publishing Nokta. If I could solve our financial difficulties which resulted from publishing the magazine, I would publish it again.

What happened after you stopped publishing?

Nothing happened to me.

‘I did not vote for the ruling party but I support the democratic initiative' People in our society should stop labeling others and always seek the hidden agenda. I support the democratic initiative of the government with all my heart. The opposition should support it, too. Take the Republican People's Party (CHP): With its current stance, it is not very different from the Atatürkist Thought Association (ADD). It does not produce any ideas. The government is trying to execute a national project, but the opposition still does not act responsibly. Maybe the government is not doing exactly the right thing, but it is seeking ways to solve a long-standing problem. The opposition should not look for hidden motives behind it. I did not cast my vote for the ruling party [the Justice and Development Party (AK Party)], but we should not ignore its positive initiatives. The long-standing Kurdish problem took many lives. And if this initiative is going to prevent the loss of even one person's life, it carries a lot of importance.

But you ended the magazine…

Yes, I suffered a lot of financial loss. I have to rent an apartment because I do not have the financial means to buy a house. My business associate left, possibly because of fears of being targeted since he is my associate. Despite that, I did not close the magazine just because I suffered huge financial losses. I did not expect to make money from publishing it, but the losses should have been tolerable. On top of that, at some point, I felt that I did not have the support I needed. It was psychological.

‘Europeans visited me and offered support’

Who did you expect would support you?

Neither the politicians nor other media organizations supported us. I do not mean financial support because had we received financial support, we would not have been independent. I mean moral support. We did not receive enough advertising to sustain our magazine. Psychologically, I felt frail. I expected to receive a message of political support from the government.

The prime minister said publicly the allegations should have been investigated.

The prime minister could have sent a message of empathy.

Why do you think he was holding back?

They preferred to stay neutral. Maybe this is the way politicians act. Maybe they are right. The government has been going through a politically critical process. Maybe that had an effect. I had at that time expected more political and public support. But today, I know that I will be on a lonely journey if I publish Nokta again. At the time, my only option was to go to the European Court of Human Rights, but I could not accept the possibility that my country's military could be punished abroad… I am telling you now what I could not say before.

What else have you kept inside?

I am trying to establish a financial base in order to publish Nokta again. Turkey needs publications like Nokta. No magazine out there has filled Nokta's role.

Are you not bothered that similar problems might reoccur and block your way?

What else can they do? They could raid Nokta's offices again. We have nothing to hide. All we had was information that would benefit the public.

There were several ideas floating around about you and your connections and why you were publishing such a magazine. It was even said that you were receiving financial support from Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani. What do you think of these claims?

I just laugh. Some Europeans visited me at the most difficult of times. They offered me financial support, but I did not accept. I even told them that I was not pressured by anyone. And I told them that they should be concerned about the flaws in the democracies in their own countries.

Does your family support you?

They are the most concerned people about me. My son does not want me to enter into politics. But I see this venture as a social responsibility. I would like to be involved in a business that would benefit the public at large. I would like to make a difference.

And your wife?

She would like to have her husband to herself.

‘Our job was historic’

If Nokta gets published again, do you think you will once again have groundbreaking stories?

Of course; our job was historic. The ongoing Ergenekon investigation is likely to reveal more on the coup journal entries we exposed. I believe we would receive groundbreaking leads from many sources.

Do you think you would receive advertising?

Yes, because Nokta's value increased due to the stories we published. But I'd base my financial plans on no revenue from advertising.

Would you retain the same editorial team?

Yes, I talk to Alper [Görmüş, then editor-in-chief of Nokta] from time to time. He says he is ready to do it.

Alper Görmüş recently became the first recipient of the Hrant Dink International Award. The award committee said he was acquitted of charges of libel for running a story in Nokta featuring excerpts from the coup journal.

I was out of the country when the award was given. I haven't thought much about it, but this decision indirectly awarded our magazine. Nokta's contributions to democracy have yet to be well understood in Turkey. But in time I believe it will have a positive place in history.

Several times Görmüş said he was not satisfied with the court's decision to acquit him because he was not given a chance to prove that Nokta's claims were right.

The Ergenekon trial is likely to show us more evidence regarding Nokta's coup allegations, which will prove that Nokta's claims were true.

As I understand it, you will not consider selling Nokta.

I could do so if a non-profit organization is interested in publishing it without harming its reputation as an independent magazine. I would also like to be on the board of trustees of any such organization.

Have you been approached by people who are interested in buying Nokta?

Yes. A former deputy was interested in buying it at one time. It did not work out.

Are you interested in entering politics as part of a political party?

I am. I was involved in politics before with a politician friend of mine. I was involved in producing projects and ideas. He left politics but I don't want to.

Are there any parties that appeal to you?

I would be interested in a party in which I could take part by producing ideas and approaches again. I am interested in politics -- not to be in front of the public but to make a difference.

‘Press cannot be free if owners are involved in other businesses’

What do you think of freedom of the press in Turkey?

There is little chance for the press to be free if media patrons are involved in businesses other than the media. Just look at what happened with Aydın Doğan.

What happened?

The tax fine imposed on his group is controversial. It seems like the value-added tax should not apply to a media group. There are other questions, too, but I have not seen the report and therefore cannot comment on it more. From my 10 years of experience as a controller, I can say that we never felt we had the upper hand directing our inspections. But it is possible to interpret regulations differently.

Is it not all mathematical?

It is not. One person can interpret regulations differently than another. But the way to solve the problem is through the judiciary. The main issue here is that media owners should not be involved in other businesses.

What do you think of the Taraf daily?

It in some way fills the gap created by Nokta's closure. The problem, however, is that it is a daily. The news business art is more difficult to perform in a daily publication. But they are providing a different view, and that much is needed in Turkey. I read it. There is news that I like in it and there is news that I don't -- just like in Nokta. But Nokta was a weekly, and it was a hard news magazine. You couldn't be busy with other things, like talking on the phone, while reading it.