Radikal Newspaper Employee "Has Right to Job"

A labour court has ruled that the Radikal newspaper had no right to dismiss a reporter.

Tolga Korkut

The Bakırköy 10th Labour Court in Istanbul has decided that a reporter dismissed from Radikal newspaper with the excuse of the economic crisis was unfairly dismissed and has a right to be reinstated.

In January, the reporter was dismissed and went to court. An expert report said that although the crisis had affected the newspaper, its owner, the Doğan Journalism group and the Milliyet news agency that provides services to the paper both made profits in 2007 and 2008.

No valid reason for dismissal

Furthermore, the report said that after the reporter's dismissal three reporters were taken into employment, thus not leaving a valid reason for the dismissal.

On 10 July, the court thus ruled that the reporter should be reinstated. The Doğan group has taken the case to the Supreme Court of Appeals.

Rana Yılmaz, the reporter's lawyer, told bianet: "Radikal has been making losses for a long time, but the company it is attached to makes profits. New journalists are being employed. Experts found the same situation when the newspaper dismissed 40 employees in 2007." (TK/AG)

Tolga Korkut