White House concerned over arrest of Turkish journalists
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.
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