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.