TUSKON: Media raids discourage foreign investors

TUSKON head Rızanur Meral
TUSKON head Rızanur Meral


Date posted: December 17, 2014

Foreign investors will not come to a country where the media faces intense pressure, Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) President Rızanur Meral said, speaking in front of the Zaman daily offices in İstanbul on Tuesday.

“This must not be forgotten: Investments will not come to a country where ideas cannot be freely expressed and where news cannot be conveyed freely to the public,” said Meral. “As members of the business world, we view the raid against Samanyolu and Zaman as a coup waged against democracy and press freedom,” he added.

A total of 27 people, including Zaman Editor-in-Chief Ekrem Dumanlı and Samanyolu TV (STV) Chairman Hidayet Karaca, from 13 provinces were taken into custody on Sunday in a move that has widely been interpreted as a crackdown on media outlets close to the Fethullah Gülen-inspired Hizmet movement.

“We are witnessing efforts to cover up the extensive corruption allegations that came out on Dec. 17 and 25. They are silencing everyone for this purpose. This includes the business world and members of TUSKON. The state is using all of its strength to exert tyranny and intimidation,” said Meral.

The Dec. 17 and 25 corruption investigation was officially dropped on Tuesday after a court rejected an appeal to reverse its earlier decision to not proceed with the case.

Unions react to media operation

“We will not consent to such persecution nor obey such oppression,” said Turkish Health and Social Services Union (TSS) President Önder Kahveci, saying Turkey descended further into a state of lawlessness with Sunday’s raid.

“We denounce this lawlessness, we protest it and we would like to send a message to the independent representatives of the free press that you are not alone,” said Active Educators Union (AES) President Osman Bahçe, commenting on the recent media operation.

Source: Today's Zaman , December 16, 2014

Tags: | | | | |


Related News

Behind the war over prep schools [in Turkey]

Notably, all this comes while the tension between the government, especially Erdoğan himself, and the Gülen Movement is deepening. In fact, both groups form part of the “religious conservatives,” and used to be allies against the old secularist guard. However, their differences have become increasingly pronounced and have resulted recently in an increasingly bitter war of words.

Halki, pope, patriarch and Gülen

The way Turkey’s chief political Islamist and new president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has approached the reopening of the Halki seminary, a school that had trained Eastern Orthodox clergy for the Patriarchate for more than a century until it was forcibly shut down in 1971, represents a fundamental flaw in the thinking of so-called Islamists, who place more emphasis on symbolism than substance and like very much to employ divisive and hateful discourse as opposed to reaching out and embracing different faiths and cultures.

Executives of TUSKON call on Ghana GCCI

Turkey is to strengthen her business relationship with Ghana and considers the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the conduit. This was disclosed by the Executives of the key Turkish business group, the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) when they paid a courtesy call on the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on 10th September, 2014.

Gezi anniversary reminder of Erdogan’s nine lives

Although Gulen was Erdogan’s principle ally in clipping the wings of the staunchly secularist Turkish military, he quickly became his nemesis and thousands of policemen, and prosecutors accused of being Gulen followers were dismissed or displaced in what amounted to a sweeping political pogrom.

Truth and reconciliation in post-Erdoğan era

One way to repair the damage dealt by the Erdoğan government in the last couple of years and to provide some form of closure for the dark period of Erdoğan’s third term in government is to set up a truth and reconciliation commission. Without discounting the role of the criminal justice system, a truth commission can be utilized in a complementary role to help citizens move on with their lives in Turkey after colossal wrongdoings in the government.

My opinion on the book ‘Imam’s Army’

Conspiracy theory is very widespread in Turkey,  society is currently polarized. Those who share a positivistic and Islamophobic mindset refuse to recognize that religion can assume a positive role and hold the Gülen movement responsible for nearly all evil. ŞAHİN ALPAY, Monday April 11, 2011 During my contacts with European parliamentarians, officials and Turkey experts […]

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

10 unanswered questions about the Dec. 17 operation

Islamic scholar Gülen offers condolences to ferry victims

Turkish, Russian businessmen convene at forum

Embracing the World: Fethullah Gülen’s Thought and Its Relationship to Jalaluddin Rumi and Others

Kimse Yok Mu hosts international experts for social media benefits conference

Turkish Government Imprisons One More Mother With Her Baby Over Links To Gülen Movement

CPJ report: Turkey world’s 10th most dangerous country for journalists

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News