Following the claims that that a major government-backed police operation to detain many journalists will kick off on Sunday, Ekrem Dumanlı, editor in chief of the Turkey’s largest circulated newspaper whose name was included in the list of possible detainees, gave an exclusive interview to Cihan News Agency.
Referring the illegal operations planned and initiated by some members of the government, Zaman Daily Editor in Chief Ekrem Dumanlı ascertained, "Things that are being executed are anti-democratic, unlawful, illegal."
Dumanlı, underlined that, “This newspaper has been a pioneer by taking spectacular steps for Turkey’s modernization, Turkey’s democratization, about being a constitutional state.”
“And those who carry out these steps, let me tell you this, politicians plan these things behind closed doors, order but civil servants, high constables and prosecutors and judges should not forget that they are government employees. No civil servant is obliged to execute any illegal order.” Zaman editor in chief exhorted. “Those who comply with illegal orders would go out of law and would be brought to account before justice definitely.” he added.
“We love this country from the bottom of our hearts. We’re committed to democracy for long time, this newspaper.” Ekrem Dumanlı described.
Speaking about his daily’s opinion on Turkey’s European Union (EU) adventure “Before there was no positive signal for EU accession by conservative fraction of the society, this paper defended EU criteria standing alone.” Ekrem Dumanlı reiterated.
Journalists to be detained on Sunday
A Twitter user known by the pseudonym Fuat Avni, who has revealed many government-backed police operations to the public, said on Saturday night that the raids, which were originally planned to take place early on Friday morning but were postponed after he revealed the secret plans, will be carried out beginning on Sunday.
The whistleblower tweeted that due to strong reactions to the initial operation planned to be carried out on Friday, the police limited the list of journalists to be detained. He said liberal and main stream journalists will not be targeted “for now.”
Published on Cihan, 14 December 2014, Sunday
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