Utku Çakırözer

Utku Çakırözer (born 1970) is a Turkish journalist and politician. After working as a journalist, he entered politics, and became a member of the parliament from the Republican People's Party before he transferred to the New Party.

Journalist career Between 1993 and 2015, Çakırözer worked as a reporter, and served in managerial positions at the dailies Milliyet, Akşam and Cumhuriyet as well as at the television channel Kanal 6. He authored news reports, interviews, and analyses covering foreign policy, defense, and security. He gained professional experience at the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post during his time in the United States. He received the "Sedat Simavi Award", the "Nezih Demirkent Award", and the "Contemporary Journalists Association Award", as well as the "International Daniel Pearl Press Fellowship" and the "Humphrey Fellowship". Since 2010, he has closely monitored, reported and brought the issue of the situation of journalists, politicians, and other prisoners of conscience to public attention.