Another stage of the fight with the media in Turkey

On 4 March 2016, a court in Istanbul issued a ruling to take over the board of administration of the Feza Publications Media Group, whose properties include Turkey’s biggest newspaper Zaman (which sells more than 600,000 copies), the English-language Today’s Zaman and the Cihan news agency. The court’s verdict was justified by allegations that it was supporting a terrorist group, which is how the authorities considered the movement focused around Fethullah Gülen, a Muslim preacher and businessman to whom the group is linked. The takeover of one of the largest opposition media groups in the country was greeted with protests by its supporters, who gathered in front of the editorial offices of Zaman in Istanbul; the police used pepper spray and water cannons to disperse them. The court’s judgement has been sharply criticised by the opposition, international organisations (Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International) and the US Department of State. Prime Minister Davutoğlu declared that the seizure of Feza Publications had no connection with the government, and that the judgement was handed down by an independent court.

ESO: Background information: Turkish police raid Zaman HQs, fire tear gas on readers after gov’t takeover http://www.europeansources.info/record/turkish-police-raid-zaman-hqs-fire-tear-gas-on-readers-after-govt-takeover/

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