White House concerned over arrest of Turkish journalists

The WHITE HOUSE
The WHITE HOUSE


Date posted: December 16, 2014

White House has expressed concerns over the arrest of Turkish journalists, including Zaman daily editor-in-chief Ekrem Dumanlı, called on Ankara to conduct investigations in a manner consistent with the rule of law.

“We noted with concern the arrests of a number of journalists and other members of the media over the weekend,” White House National Security Council spokesman, Mark Stroh, said in a statement on Monday. He added that Washington has long maintained that freedom of the press is an essential element in all healthy, successful democracies.

“We urge the Turkish authorities to conduct investigations quickly, transparently, and in a manner consistent with the rule of law,” the statement stated.

Turkish media has been facing an unprecedented crackdown as the executives of Turkey’s two leading media outlets have been, since Sunday, in custody and are being questioned as part of a government-orchestrated police operation that has dealt a heavy blow to freedom of the press.

Dumanlı, Samanyolu Broadcasting Group General Manager Hidayet Karaca along with other journalists, scriptwriters, columnists, producers were detained in a sweeping operation on Sunday.

Source: Today's Zaman , December 16, 2014

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Gülen underlines values, rejects alliance with political party or leader

In response to a question on whether “the alliance” between the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Hizmet movement had ended, Gülen said, “If we can talk about an alliance, it was around [the] shared values of democracy, universal human rights and freedoms — never for political parties or candidates.”

Turkish Airlines discriminates against critical newspapers on planes

THY significantly slashed its number of subscriptions to the aforementioned newspapers following an open disagreement between the government — which had made a decision to shut down prep schools — and the dailies, which held a critical editorial stance against the move. The numbers of these newspapers were lowered in THY’s private “Commercially Important Persons” lounge.

Row between Turkish government and Gulen Movement takes new twist

The row between Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Fethullah Gulen’s Hizmet Movement, one of the most influential religious communities in the country, has taken an interesting twist after the revelation of a 2004 document. In 2004, the National Security Council proposed a clampdown on the Gulen movement (aka Hizmet), which suggested that harsh sanctions should be enforced on them.

55-year-old leukemia patient says looking after grandchildren as daughter, son behind bars over Gülen links

The 55-year-old mother of an imprisoned Turkish woman said in a Twitter video that she has been left to look after her grandchildren after the Turkish government imprisoned her daughter as well as her son over alleged links to the Gülen group.

Teacher detained while visiting relatives during Eid holiday

A teacher, identified with his/her initials M.P., was detained while on a visit to his/her relatives in Tatar village, Sivas on the very first day of the Muslim festival, Eid al-Fitr. It is a tradition that Muslims visit their elderly relatives at their homes as part of Eid celebrations in Turkey.

Fear and paranoia still stalk Turkey two months after the failed coup

The official government narrative is everywhere, from the Twitter accounts to the dominance of the state-affiliated and pro-government press and TV in the wake of media crackdowns. The same words and phrases have been repeated endlessly by the AKP and their supporters until they become almost meaningless – Get Gülen. Gülen. Gülen. We are democracy. Democracy. Democracy. That is how it is, and there is no room to consider anything else.

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

Liberia: ‘Go Beyond Secondary Education’- VP Urges Liberia’s Turkish Light International School

Journalist Karaca sentenced to 31 years for slandering al-Qaeda-affiliated group

Conference declares gov’t needs to be more active in preventing domestic violence

Terrorism charges against Karaca do not make sense, CHP leader says

Millions of people have asked for interview with Gülen

EP discusses transparency call for Hizmet

Father jailed over Gülen links, 6-months-old paralyzed baby left in intensive care

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News