US slams ‘intimidation’ of journalists in Turkey’s vote
The White House has expressed concerns over “intimidation” of those “critical” of the government during Turkey’s recent vote.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest urged Ankara Monday to “uphold universal democratic values" a day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) won the election and regained parliamentary majority.
The press secretary said Washington remain "deeply concerned that media outlets and individual journalists critical of the government were subject to pressure and intimidation during the campaign."
"We have both publicly and privately raised our concerns about freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly in Turkey," Earnest noted. "We continue to urge Turkish authorities to uphold universal democratic values."
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) issued a report earlier in the day, saying “the rapidly diminishing choice of media outlets, and restrictions on freedom of expression in general, impacted the process and remain serious concerns" following the Sunday general election.
"Now a party with some 50% [of the vote] in Turkey has attained power... This should be respected by the whole world, but I have not seen such maturity," the president said Monday.
The election was held amid concerns of a crackdown on media as well as Ankara’s military campaign against Kurdish rebels in the southeast Turkey and northern Iraq.
Meanwhile, Turkish police forces have reportedly resorted to attacking media offices in Ankara and Istanbul.
According to the official Anadolu agency, with almost all ballots counted, the AKP had won 49.4% of the vote, while the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) won 25.4%.
Earnest's remarks came weeks before US President Barack Obama visits Turkey for a meeting with Erdogan.
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