EU condemns Turkish raids against media as ’unacceptable’

The European Union has said a media assault on Zaman daily and other media outlets is an "unacceptable attack" against freedom of media, urging Turkish authorities to respect rights of defendants.

Zaman Editorial Board: Free media cannot be silenced

The Zaman media group, whose editor-in-chief Ekrem Dumanlı was among those detained on Sunday during an ongoing government crackdown on critical media, has released a press statement in seven languages stressing that it will not stop producing independent journalism or bow to government pressure.

Journalists and Writers Foundation's statement [on recent detentions]

The process of gradually undermining democracy in Turkey has come to a new and accelerated phase. Universal criteria for the press freedom are recklessly breached as pressures mount on the journalists who try to perform their duties to make sure people can have access to information within constitutional boundaries. Although they went to the courthouse and asked inquired prosecutors if there was any investigation concerning them and they were told that there was no legal action concerning them two days ago, the executives of certain media outlets were taken to custody with the intention of intimidating and silencing them and creating the perception that they might flee away. Such a practice is an act of tyranny that would never occur to officials of a truly democratic country.

Alliance for Shared Values Statement on Journalists Arrests

The raids on Turkey’s top selling newspaper Zaman and prominent TV organization STV are profoundly disturbing to all of us who value democracy, tolerance and the role of a free press in safeguarding both. Journalists who report about the suppression of human rights are not enemies of the state; rather they are documenting the actions of those who undermine the safeguards of a democratic Turkey.

National Press Club Dismayed Over Reported Arrests of Turkish Journalists

Washington -- The National Press Club president expressed concern over reports that Turkish authorities have arrested a couple of dozen people in what appears to be a crackdown on media outlets that are critical of the Turkish government.

HRW calls recent detentions of journalists repression of critical media

Emma Sinclair-Webb, the representative of Human Rights Watch (HRW) in Turkey, has stated that the detention of journalists and editors in the context of this latest, wider operation looks like another attempt to crack down on critical media.

The crackdown on speech in Turkey must end: Freedom House

Freedom House joins the list of prominent international rights groups condemning the detainments of journalists on Sunday.

CPJ: Turkish authorities target media in nationwide crackdown

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns today's raids on media outlets in which police detained journalists and media workers on politicized anti-state charges. Among those detained today were Ekrem Dumanlı, editor-in-chief of Turkey's largest daily Zaman, and Hidayet Karaca, chairman of the Samanyolu Broadcast Group, reports said.

Gov’t trying to subdue dissent, expresses GYV

The Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) strongly criticized the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for media crack down, amidst wave of journalists detainments on Sunday.

Scandal!

Erhan Başyurt

Turkish democracy and media freedom had a dark day yesterday. Ekrem Dumanlı, The Editor-in-chief of the Zaman daily, the largest-circulating newspaper of Turkey which has been published for a quarter century, and Hidayet Karaca, the President of Samanyolu Broadcasting Group, which comprises five TV stations, were detained.

Journalism associations issue mass condemnations over detainments

Leading Turkish journalist unions and associations slam the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for media crack down, amidst wave of detainments on Sunday.

Local media condemns police raid on media, detention of journalists

Speaking with a single voice, many press organizations in Turkey condemned the police raids of the Zaman daily and Samanyolu TV and the detention of at least 23 people, including journalists, on Sunday.

‘Crackdown on journalists revenge for Dec. 17 and 25 operations’

The detention of journalists who are critical of the government and had covered the Dec. 17 and 25 graft operations, which implicated several ministers and pro-government businessman, is a “revenge operation,” main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Konya deputy Atilla Kart has said.

Opposition parties describe detentions as ‘civilian coup’

Opposition parties have sharply criticized the government for a police operation in which journalists and television producers were detained early on Sunday, describing the operation as a “civilian coup.”

Shameful operation on media

Günal Kurşun

A group of police officials from the İstanbul police anti-terrorism unit arrived at the Zaman daily building on Sunday morning. They tried to enter the building while Zaman supporters protested, chanting slogans like "Free media cannot be silenced." The Zaman daily broadcast the entire drama live, while much of the rest of the Turkish media preferred to ignore the police operation.

Journalists show solidarity in wake of gov’t crackdown

The detention of Zaman daily Editor-in-Chief Ekrem Dumanlı following a police raid on the newspaper's headquarters on Sunday has prompted some veteran journalists to speak out against the government crackdown on the daily and indicate their solidarity with the paper.

Detentions extend to 9 staff members of TV series

Nine individuals, including the producer, director and assistant scriptwriters -- one with a young child -- of Samanyolu TV's once very popular TV series “Tek Türkiye” (One Turkey) were among those detained during Sunday's police operations conducted against critical media outlets across the country.

Unite against one-man rule

Şahin Alpay

In Turkey, Dec. 17-25 of last year signifies the start of the public revelations of the gravest corruption probe against the government led by former Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Erdoğan, elected to the presidency last August, is -- in clear conflict with Turkey's parliamentary system -- assuming the powers of an executive president. He seems highly alarmed that the campaign being organized by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on the anniversary of the suppressed corruption probe will lead to mass protests against his Justice and Development Party (AKP) government.

Media clampdown foretold

Yavuz Baydar

Turkey under the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has come much closer to a format of despotism, with police raids targeting mainly the media: the Zaman daily and the STV channel.

Black Sunday: The day Turkey detained its prominent journalists

The government-orchestrated crackdown on independent critical media outlets in Turkey took a turn for the worse on Sunday with dawn raids on Turkey's largest newspaper Zaman and popular national TV network Samanyolu TV that led to the detention of top managers at the media outlets.

Social media critical of police raids at Zaman

Social media exploded with criticism of a police operation that took place at the Zaman daily headquarters in İstanbul on Sunday.

Detentions of journalists flash news on world media

A compilation of news reports on major media outlets [alphabetical list]:

Gülen warns of on-going witch hunt

Speaking to the German-language Süddeutsche Zeitung daily, prominent Islamic Preacher Fethullah Gülen criticized government slander and persecution of dissent.

News sacred, commentary free

Bülent Keneş

I penned this article after hearing a strong rumor that the police would raid my home and take me into custody early on Sunday morning... I would like you to know who Bülent Keneş really is!

Zaman editor-in-chief detained in media operation

Editor-in-chief of Turkey's Zaman daily, critical of the government, was detained on Sunday in a police operation that targeted journalists, TV script writers and former police officers.

‘Erdogan and people around, not obey the rule of law, respect media’

Following the claims that a major government-backed police operation to detain many journalists will kick off on Sunday, Bülent Keneş of Today’s Zaman, editor in chief for Turkey’s largest circulated English daily gave an exclusive interview to Cihan News Agency.

Operations anti-democratic, illegal exclaims newspaper editor in chief

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.

CHP’s Kılıçdaroğlu: Turkey is going through ‘coup process’

Turkey's main opposition leader has leveled criticisms against the authorities for going after journalists, something "unseen in healthy democracies," and condemned the government for spearheading a "coup process"over the operation that started early on Sunday morning against media outlets affiliated with the Hizmet movement.

Police officers raid Turkish daily’s building only to leave immediately

Police officers on Sunday raided Turkey’s largest circulating newspaper Zaman’s headquarters in İstanbul but had to leave premises due to a lack of signature on warrant witnesses told. Following a long quarrel with barristers to achieve permission to step into the building, police officer left to come back with a new warrant.

Turkish police raid Zaman building, attempt to detain editor

Turkey's anti-terrorism units have attempted to raid headquarters of the country's top-selling newspaper Zaman in an early-morning operation, with a goal to detain its editor-in-chief, but had to turn back due to protests by readers.

Two Turkish TV producers detained as operation against media starts

Turkish police have reportedly detained two producers from Samanyolu TV in the first wave of what was said to be a large-scale operation against the media across Turkey.

Waiting for a police raid to our newspaper…

Sevgi Akarçeşme

It is 3.20 a.m. İstanbul time and I am writing this piece to share my impressions from a truly historic night for a journalist. For those of you who have not yet heard, as journalists at Zaman media group, including the largest selling daily Zaman and English daily Today’s Zaman, we are waiting for a likely police raid to our newspaper since Turkey’s mostly reliable whistleblower nicknamed Fuat Avni on Twitter has been telling about an operation instructed by the increasingly authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to place further pressure on critical and independent media in Turkey.

Reuters: Turkish police raid media outlets close to Gulen, detain some people

Turkish police raided a television station and a newspaper close to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen on Sunday, detaining some people, media reports said, two days after President Tayyip Erdogan signaled a fresh campaign against Gulen's supporters.

AK Party polarizes Turks in Balkans

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Kocaeli deputy Lütfü Türkkan, noting that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government is pursuing a policy of polarization vis-à-vis Turks and Muslims in the Balkan countries, has said this policy will have detrimental effects.

'I like the vitality of the participation and the vitality of hospitality within the Hizmet Movement'

Fikir Atlasi*, Episode 22 (Full text)

My name is Alan Jones**. I am a United Methodist pastor and the pastor at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Sacramento, California.

It’s not about a conflict between the government and Hizmet movement

Gültekin Avcı

Insanity ripples through the country, the media and the people. If graft or corruption is the prevailing form of life spreading from the state to society, and if this form of life is supported by people, then we are hitting the bottom day by day. A prosecutor can say “We can detain 500 thousand people if necessary” and still hold his post as if he said quite an ordinary thing. Whereas in Europe mental health of such a prosecutor would be called into question and most probably examined.

Gülen’s lawyers slam Erdoğan’s ‘slanderous’ unsolved murders remarks

The lawyers of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen have denounced recent statements by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in which he held the Hizmet movement responsible for some unsolved murders in Turkey.

Claim of journalists to be detained en masse draws harsh response

A claim of a soon-to-be-unveiled mass detention of journalists in Turkey as part of government efforts to muzzle the remaining free, independent and critical media outlets has prompted a huge outcry in Turkey.

Media representatives slam claim of raid on 150 journalists

The allegation by a whistleblower, who says he is among President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's inner circle, that about 150 journalists affiliated with the Hizmet movement will be detained as part of a new wide-scale operation has drawn strong reactions from local and international media representatives and journalists.

I refuse to be intimidated

Abdullah Bozkurt

Against the background of shocking revelations by the anonymous whistleblower Fuat Avni in which he claimed the government would round up some 150 independent and critical journalists in a nationwide sweep, I refuse to be intimidated by the crooked political Islamists who have dealt a heavy blow against the democratic values of this nation, slid the country backwards in regards to democratic rights and liberties, squandered public resources and blatantly abused the religion of Islam for the purposes of amassing personal wealth and consolidating power.

Thousands keep ‘Justice Watch’ for journalists in İstanbul

On Thursday "Fuat Avni," a whistleblower who says he is among President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's inner circle, claimed that the dozens of journalists will be detained in simultaneous police raids to be conducted in İstanbul, Ankara and Malatya on Friday.

Whistleblower says anti-journalist gov’t operation to kick off Sunday

A Twitter user known by the pseudonym Fuat Avni, who has revealed many government-backed police operations to the public, has claimed that a major government-backed police operation targeting many Hizmet-affliated journalists will kick off on Sunday.

The parody of dictatorship and silence

Orhan Kemal Cengiz

It is as if we are watching a parody of dictatorship. Either the dictator of this game will show a pathetic indulgence while trying to satisfy his ambitions, or, as we know from the theatrical scene in Orhan Pamuk’s novel “Snow”, the guns we think are loaded with blanks will catch fire and the whole country will slide towards an irreversible state of disaster.

Gülen says talk of raid against Zaman aims to intimidate

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who lives in self-exile in Pennsylvania, said on Thursday that the rumors of a crackdown against Hizmet movement-affiliated media is a “perception operation and aims to intimidate and oppress people.”

Zaman journalists defy threat of arrest with heads held high

Scattered across a newsroom producing Turkey's largest-circulating newspaper, the Zaman daily, journalists from the Feza Media Group remain confident while waiting for police officers to come and handcuff them.

World media covers possible anti-journalist ops; Turkish press silent

Some foreign news outlets have been covering a whistleblower's claim that around 150 journalists will be detained as part of a new government-backed operation, but most Turkish media outlets have remained silent on the issue.

Opposition slams mass detention claims in name of democracy, freedoms

Opposition party leaders and deputies have raised their voices in protest of claims suggesting 150 journalists affiliated with the Hizmet movement will be detained as part of a wide-scale operation, saying any interference in the media will harm democracy and media freedoms.

Academic Thought Platform holds first of its 'Capital Gatherings'

The Journalists and Writers Foundation's (GYV) Academic Thought Platform (ADP) came up with a remarkable program amid the ongoing heated debate over the use of the state authority and the relationship between the state and the civil society in our country.

Journalists and Writers Foundation's statement on recent developments

The developments of the last year have made it crystal clear that the government is exerting great efforts to change the agenda that is unfavorable to it and doing everything to achieve this. In this framework, references are made to a non-existent mosque in Cuba as if it were already constructed, and the plan to teach the old script used by our ancestors to students is marketed as a life-and-death matter to set the agenda in an artificial manner. Likewise, police operations are conducted with much fanfare at midnight to take innocent people into custody without any evidence, giving the impression that these moves seek to distract public attention or use them as a screen.

Hundreds on vigil outside Zaman building to protest possible raid

Hundreds of readers thronged outside the headquarters of Feza Media Holding to protest a possible operation against journalists, most of them from Zaman daily, defying what they claim to be the government's increasingly authoritarian practices to silence outspoken media.

GYV harshly denies PM’s allegation that Hizmet, PKK working together

The Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) strongly criticized and denied recent remarks from Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, who alleged that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the so-called parallel structure are “working together,” saying the allegation is baseless slander directed at the movement.

Fuat Avni: Some 150 Hizmet-affiliated journalists to be detained

A Twitter user known by the pseudonym Fuat Avni, who has revealed many government-backed police operations to the public, has claimed that about 150 journalists affiliated with the Hizmet movement will be detained on Friday as part of a new wide-scale operation.

AK Party’s persecution of Hizmet movement exposed in chronicle

The Rethink Institute has published a chronicle of acts committed against Turkey's faith-based Hizmet movement at the hands of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) over the last two years, providing a long list of abuses the movement's followers have been exposed to in the country.

Persecution of Hizmet movement in Turkey

İhsan Yılmaz

“The Persecution of the Hizmet (Gülen) Movement in Turkey: A Chronicle” is the title of a paper published by the Rethink Institute, a Washington-based think tank, in December. The chronicle covers the persecution of Hizmet by the Turkish state in five categories: defamation; conspiracy; discrimination; blacklisting; and unlawful conduct. The report states that the information provided is not complete and only serves as representative of what has been and is currently happening in Turkey.

Turkish school students raises pocket moneys to buy stoves for refugees

Students of Hizmet Movement affiliated Turkish school in eastern Iraqi city of Kirkuk gathered their pocket moneys to buy stoves for refugees who live in poor shelters and suffer from cold weather conditions.