Turkish Airlines stops distribution of Zaman and Today’s Zaman on its planes


Date posted: December 23, 2013

ISTANBUL

Turkey’s flagship carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) has put an embargo on dailies affiliated with the Fethullah Gülen Movement, which has been in at odds with the government over an ongoing corruption investigation, local news agencies reported.

The airline, 74 percent of which is owned by the state, had already stopped delivering the English-language daily Today’s Zaman in airport terminals and on planes before slashing the distribution of its Turkish sibling, daily Zaman, by two-thirds, Cihan News Agency reported.

Doğan News Agency quoted the Turkish Airlines Press Office as saying Zaman, Today’s Zaman and another publication with links to the Gülen movement, Bugün, will remain in the free daily selection presented at terminal buildings, but the company will not hand out the newspapers inside the planes as of today.
THY passengers can get free newspapers by showing their tickets after passing through a security check at the international terminal, but the company also distributes a limited selection of newspapers for business class passengers inside the plane.

According to the press office, these dailies will only be removed from this selection.

Zaman, Today’s Zaman and Bugün have vocally criticized the government over the corruption scandal, warning authorities to avoid interference in the legal process.

The high-level graft probe has shaken Turkey’s political establishment, exposing a bitter feud between the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and influential Muslim scholar Gülen, whose followers hold key positions in the police, judiciary and secret services.

The rift first became particularly visible to the public after the government announced plans to shut down private education centers, known as “dershanes,” many of which are owned by Gülen supporters.

The tension publicly escalated after daily Taraf revealed on Nov. 28 that the government had signed a National Security Council (MGK) decision recommending an action plan against the Gülen movement in 2004.

Taraf also claimed that the Turkish government had profiled a number of pro-Gülen groups based on religion and faith through the National Intelligence Organization (MİT), monitoring their activities until as recently as 2013.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News , December 23, 2013


Related News

Int’l press organizations call for release of journalist Keneş, condemn arrest

New York-based press advocacy group the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Turkish authorities to immediately release Today’s Zaman Editor-in-Chief Bülent Keneş, condemning the arrest as a “relentless crackdown” on the press.

US Unlikely to ‘Speed Up’ Gulen’s Extradition to Turkey

Turkey has formally requested that the U.S. government extradite Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen from the state of Pennsylvania where he has lived in self-imposed exile for 17 years. Turkey is pushing for quick extradition, suggesting that U.S.-Turkish relations are at stake. But the burden of proof rests squarely on Ankara, and if it cannot sufficiently prove its accusations against Gulen, the extradition request will be refused.

Gov’t attack on Bank Asya taints Turkey’s image

Attempts by the Turkish government to sink Bank Asya have tainted Turkey’s image, according to French-based Institute for Research on the International Economy expert Deniz Ünal, speaking to the Cihan news agency.

European Parliament calls for fair trial of suspects arrested in anti-coup operations in Turkey

Members of the European Parliament (EP) discussed developments following the July 15 failed coup attempt in Turkey at a session on Tuesday and stressed the need for the fair trial of suspects who have been arrested on coup charges.

The Gülen movement: advocators of interfaith activities in Turkey

To cover up the [corruption] investigations, the newspapers close to the government use many derogatory labels for the movement, such as “promoters of light or moderate Islam,” “the protestantization of Islam,” “collaborators and allies of foreign intelligence agencies,” and “Christian missionaries under an Islamic guise.”

Ayse Bohurler says International Herald Tribune misquoted remarks on Gülen movement

22 April 2012 / TODAYSZAMAN.COM Ayşe Böhürler, a founding member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), has said her remarks on the faith-based Gülen movement were misquoted in an International Herald Tribune article last week, denying statements that were highly critical of the movement and attributed to her by the paper. “It […]

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

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

In Case You Missed It

First female chairwoman appointed at Kimse Yok Mu

Prof. Scott Alexander: Hizmet is a social movement for peace

Thousands of Pakistanis have cataract surgery courtesy of Kimse Yok Mu

Obama to become a parallel, too?

Sareshwala: Agitation and confrontation doesn’t get Muslims anywhere

Religious freedom threatened by Turkey’s response to coup

Turkey’s New Maps Are Reclaiming the Ottoman Empire

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News