Turkish Gov’t media targets exiled journalists, their lives at risk


Date posted: September 27, 2016

Following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s statement that no country is safe for Gülen movement sympathizers, the pro-Justice and Development Party (AKP) media targeted exiled journalists in the US and Europe on Monday.

The Sabah daily, which was run by Serhat Albayrak, brother of Berat Albayrak, the son-in-law of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, published a story on Monday about investigative journalist Aydoğan Vatandaş, who lives in the US, claiming that he was whistleblower “Fuat Avni.” Publishing secretly taken photos and videos of Vatandaş, who used to write articles for The Huffington Post and Today’s Zaman, the daily labeled him a terrorist.

In another story published by the pro-Erdoğan daily Yeni Şafak, exiled journalists, including former Today’s Zaman Editor-in-Chief Bülent Keneş, were claimed to be living in Europe and engaged in efforts to create a multilingual news website with funds supplied by Germany and Austria. The daily also claimed that Gülen sympathizer journalists have been working on a TV channel in Germany.

The AKP government has speeded up a media crackdown since a July 15 foiled coup attempt. The government has closed down more than 130 media organizations and jailed in excess of 120 journalists. Dozens of critical journalists have left Turkey due to the crackdown.

The news stories came after President Erdoğan on Sept. 19 threatened followers of the faith-based Gülen movement living all over the world, saying that no country is safe for them.

“No country, no region anywhere in the world, is a safe haven for FETÖ [an acronym the government has been using to refer to the Gülen movement] and militants,” said Erdoğan during a press conference at İstanbul Atatürk Airport, before flying to New York for the UN General Assembly.

In August, the pro-government media threatened critical journalists with extrajudicial killings. During a program on Kanal 24, Ersoy Dede and Hikmet Genc were discussing how to get rid of critical journalists living in exile by bringing to mind the ASALA case.

Dede said that “In this country, I witnessed how ASALA was finished [off]. One morning we will wake up and see some scum being caught at Sabiha Gokcen Airport. The media will cover the story like this: “Tuncay Opcin, Emre Uslu and Ekrem Dumanli …”

Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has been tasked with locating, arresting and even killing military officers who fled Turkey after allegedly taking part in a failed coup attempt in July, according a story in the Vatan daily on Aug. 30.

Source: Turkish Minute , September 26, 2016

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Turkey deserves a civilian constitution – Cemal Yigit

The Ufuk Dialogue Foundation is a platform where Christians and Muslims come together to promote peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding and dialogue, especially between the two religions. This is because we believe that if we come together we can talk the talk and walk the walk.

NBA player and Erdoğan-critic Enes Kanter’s father arrest in Turkey

Dr. Mehmet Kanter, father of NBA player and Turkish government-critic Enes Kanter has been arrested in Instanbul. This comes days after Turkish officials issued an arrest warrant for the US-based basketball player and seeked assistance from Interpol to extradite him to Turkey.

Islamophobia Network Targets Top Performing American Schools

Islamophobia is on the rise in America, but this is hardly surprising. Scan recent American history to witness the consistent creation of an “other”, whether it was anti-Catholicism and anti-Semitism in the 19th century.

Embrace Relief Worldwide Qurban (Feast of Sacrifice) Campaign

As part of their Hunger Relief program, Embrace Relief administers qurban organizations all over the world to bring joy to the table of people in need, while helping Muslims take care of their religious obligations. In 2015, qurban donations have been distributed amongst countries such as Bangladesh, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mexico, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and the United States. This year, qurban donations will be distributed to those in need in the United States, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

TAA holding annual Turkic American Convention in Washington

The Turkic American Alliance (TAA), the largest national Turkic organization in the US, is holding its third annual Turkic American Convention in Washington, D.C., on March 12-13 in cooperation with the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON). Speaking at a press conference, Faruk Taban, the president of the TAA, which represents six regional federations […]

Erdoğan ‘does not grasp’ separation of powers, MEP says

Andrew Duff, a Liberal Democrat member of the European Parliament, also accused the prime minister, whom he said was “clearly elected democratically,” of not ruling democratically. Duff said the aggravated language that exposes serious rifts between the AK Party and the Gülen movement risks destabilizing Turkey.

Latest News

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Once They were Brothers – Bir Zamanlar Kardeştiler

Kimse Yok Mu reaches out to orphans in Mongolia

A Mother and Son Flee Istanbul for San Antonio

Austrian Far-Right Leader Likens Turkish Coup to Reichstag Fire

Are politics and Hizmet from different walks of life?

Turkish business suffers under Erdogan’s post-coup Gulen purge

Turkish families cope with aftermath of failed coup

Copyright 2024 Hizmet News