HRW censures Turkey for takeover of critical daily

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned the Turkish government’s move to take control of the opposition newspaper Zaman, calling it the latest attempt by the Turkish president to “silence critical media.”

The New York–based rights organization in a Saturday statement called on Ankara to “immediately reverse the action,” and denounced as a government takeover of the group the appointment of trustees over the Feza Media Group, which includes Zaman newspaper, Today’s Zaman and the Cihan News Agency.

On Friday afternoon, police forces clashed with demonstrators in a bid to smash their way into the office building and enforce a ruling handed down earlier in the day by the Istanbul Sixth Criminal Court of Peace ordering the management of the newspaper and its editorial board to be replaced by the trustees board assigned by the court.

The court decision came at the request of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and sparked angry protests in front of the newspaper's office.

The group is said to have close connections with a US-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, an outspoken opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his policies. The Turkish leader has accused Gulen and his followers of plotting to overthrow the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), a charge that Gulen denies.

The preacher is wanted for purportedly running a "parallel" structure within Turkey’s state institutions.

“The Istanbul court’s decision to appoint trustees to run Zaman newspaper and other media is nothing but a veiled move by the president to eradicate opposition media and scrutiny of government policies,” said Emma Sinclair-Webb, HRW’s senior Turkey researcher.

She added that the “deplorable ruling,” is the latest blow to free speech in Turkey.

On Saturday, Turkish police once again attacked demonstrators, firing plastic bullets and tear gas to disperse hundreds of them who assembled in front of the Istanbul premises of Zaman daily.

"Free press cannot be silenced," the protesters shouted while holding the latest edition of the newspaper to express their solidarity with the daily’s employees who entered the building under police scrutiny.

The paper published a defiant edition Saturday, which warned of the "darkest days" in the history of the press, saying on its front page in large font, "The Constitution is suspended.” "Yesterday (Friday) was one of the darkest days in the history of press," it added.

As Turkey's top-selling newspaper, Zaman has an estimated circulation of 650,000 and its seizure by the state has added to concerns about freedom of expression in Turkey under Erdogan's rule.

Amnesty International has also condemned the government takeover of Zaman, with its Turkey expert Andrew Gardner saying, “By lashing out and seeking to rein in critical voices, President Erdogan’s government is steamrolling over human rights.”

The decision to appoint trustees to the Feza Media Group came after a similar action last October, when a court appointed trustees to run the Koza Ipek Media Group, which is also associated with Gulen. On February 29, the group and its television channels and newspapers were shut.

Nearly 2,000 journalists, bloggers and ordinary citizens, including teenagers, have been accused of insulting Erdogan. He has faced growing popular dissatisfaction over what critics say is his autocratic behavior and regarding criticism as insult.

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