Turkish police raid Zaman building, attempt to detain editor
Protesters stage demonstration as police officials raid the building. (Photo: Today's Zaman)
Date posted: December 14, 2014
Turkish police have raided the Zaman daily headquarters in İstanbul in early-morning operation, but failed to detain the chief of the newspaper.
Anti-terrorism units from İstanbul police department arrived at Zaman building in Yenibosna on Sunday morning, facing a fierce resistance by protesters. The police officials were allowed to enter inside the building, but could not proceed further as heavy presence of protesters created a small stampede.
The police reportedly came to detain Zaman daily editor-in-chief Ekrem Dumanlı. The officials said they could not “fulfill their tasks” because of the pressure and had to leave the building. Protesters chanted unceasing slogans such as “Free Media Cannot be Silenced.”
Turkish police detained Fethullah Gulen’s brother on Sunday. Fethullah is one of five siblings. He has three brothers – Mesih, Salih, and Kutbettin – and two sisters, Nurhayat and Fazilet. Turkey accuses the preacher of organizing the July 15 coup attempt. His organization denies any involvement in the coup.
Questions over corruption and paralysis of politics [in Turkey]
The corruption crisis, the related ongoing judicial process and PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s stance towards this process have led many people to have serious concerns over justice and the latest developments have made me pose the following questions. I think that we strongly need honestly speaking and honestly thinking politicians to answer these questions for the sake of liberal democracy and universal values such as rule of law.
Gülen’s defense against Erdoğan’s onslaught
In an effort to find a scapegoat for the colossal wrongdoings in government — including graft, money laundering, re-zoning land and influence peddling allegedly committed, according to the opposition, with the full knowledge and consent of Erdoğan — the Turkish prime minister has staged an unprecedented onslaught against Gülen with all kinds of name calling. He has accused Gülen of plotting a coup against his government without offering a single shred of evidence
Did they make mistake?
We are experiencing a period of turmoil in which we strongly need the supremacy of law, the presumption of innocence and the individuality of criminal offenses. A grave campaign instead is being carried out to insult and denigrate millions of people. Why would the Hizmet movement consider forming a parallel state within the state given that its members hold no intention other than Allah’s will? Considering that democratic options are available for seeking positions within the state, why would people within the bureaucracy strive for greater political power?
A serious question for a respected newspaper
Abdulhamit Bilici, April 29, 2012 It is not easy to understand a fast-changing and multi-layered country like Turkey. This is a nation where some who self-identify as progressive, modern, social democrats oppose freedoms in a number of arenas and hope for assistance from military coups, while some labeled as Islamic, devout and even reactionary wind […]
Lawyer put behind bars along with 3-month-old baby
An Istanbul lawyer, identified with her initials O.E.H., was put in pretrial detention along with her three-month-old baby as part of an investigation into the Gulen movement, media said.
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