Turkish police raid Zaman building, attempt to detain editor

Protesters stage demonstration as police officials raid the building. (Photo: Today's Zaman)
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.”

Source: Today's Zaman , December 14, 2014


Related News

Jailed journalist facing new trial for not calling Gülen movement a terror organization

Journalist Emre Soncan, who has been behind bars for 20 months, is facing a new trial for not describing the Gülen movement as a terrorist organization. Soncan, 36, used to work for Turkey’s best-selling Zaman daily, which was closed down by the Turkish government in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016 due to its links to the Gülen movement.

Gov’t closes schools instead of resolving education problems

The Ministry of Education and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government have been focusing on closing down private prep schools for university preparation (dershanes) and Turkish schools abroad instead of spending its energy on resolving critical problems in the Turkish education system, experts say.

Turks are not cows

In question are serious and grave accusations such as being involved in corruption, stacking money in houses, seeking villas, trying to get rid of millions of dollars… If all of these were just slander, what would a political man with self-confidence do? Wouldn’t he publicly present concrete evidence proving the slander?

Turkish editor hits out at media coercion under Erdoğan

Segments of the Turkish media remain fiercely anti-government, however, including secularist dailies Sözcü and Cumhuriyet, and more recently Zaman and Bugün, which are close to Gülen and have become more critical since the graft scandal erupted.

Former Hampton Roads physicist arrested after Turkey coup attempt

When Alicia Hofler of Newport News heard about terrorists bombing the Istanbul airport in June, she shot off an email to her old college friend, Serkan Golge, a NASA contractor in Houston.

CSOs across Turkey slam campaign under way to discredit Hizmet movement

Representatives of civil society organizations across Turkey issued press releases on Wednesday to condemn a defamation campaign targeting the Hizmet movement, a volunteer-based grassroots movement particularly working in the field of education around the world while aiming to spread interfaith dialogue inspired by Muslim scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

[Part 3] Gülen says gov’t cut back on rights and freedoms in Turkey

‘Erdoğan has replaced 1980 coup generals’

Lamb-hunt in the Netherlands

An Armenian lady, Hrant and April 24

Witch hunt continues as police raid Gülen-inspired schools across Turkey

Fethullah Gulen ‘very confident’ Turkey extradition from US will fail

Gulen movement shows faith can purify reason

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News