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| Turkish police raids opposition paper hours after take over | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| ANKARA, Turkey — Police using tear gas and pressured water raided the headquarters of Turkey’s largest-circulation newspaper, hours after a court placed it under the management of trustees. | |
| Police late on Friday dispersed protesters who had gathered outside of the opposition Zaman newspaper’s Istanbul headquarters before entering the building the building to escort the court-appointed managers and evict newspaper workers. | |
| The court decision against the newspaper, which is linked to a U.S.-based cleric who is opposed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has heightened concerns over deteriorating press freedoms in Turkey and sparked international outrage. | |
| THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below. | |
| A court in Istanbul on Friday ordered that Turkey’s largest-circulation newspaper, which is linked to an opposition cleric, be placed under the management of trustees — a move that heightens concerns over deteriorating press freedoms in Turkey. | |
| The court action against Zaman newspaper comes as the government has intensified a campaign against the moderate Islamic movement led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. It accuses the movement of attempting to bring down the government. | The court action against Zaman newspaper comes as the government has intensified a campaign against the moderate Islamic movement led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. It accuses the movement of attempting to bring down the government. |
| The case was brought by a public prosecutor in Istanbul and means that the editorial board and management will be replaced by people named by the court. | The case was brought by a public prosecutor in Istanbul and means that the editorial board and management will be replaced by people named by the court. |
| The move, which also affects Zaman’s sister newspaper, English-language Today’s Zaman, and a news agency linked to the group, further reduces the pool of opposition television and newspapers in the country, which is dominated by pro-government television channels and newspapers. | The move, which also affects Zaman’s sister newspaper, English-language Today’s Zaman, and a news agency linked to the group, further reduces the pool of opposition television and newspapers in the country, which is dominated by pro-government television channels and newspapers. |
| Hundreds of people gathered outside of the paper’s headquarters in Istanbul in a show of support. | Hundreds of people gathered outside of the paper’s headquarters in Istanbul in a show of support. |
| Zaman Editor-in-Chief Abdulhamid Bilici addressed his colleagues on the grounds of the newspaper, calling the court decision a “black day for democracy” in Turkey as journalists and other newspaper workers held up signs that read: “Don’t touch my newspaper” and chanted “free press cannot be silenced!” | Zaman Editor-in-Chief Abdulhamid Bilici addressed his colleagues on the grounds of the newspaper, calling the court decision a “black day for democracy” in Turkey as journalists and other newspaper workers held up signs that read: “Don’t touch my newspaper” and chanted “free press cannot be silenced!” |
| The court decision sparked international outrage. | The court decision sparked international outrage. |
| “I see this as an extremely serious interference with media freedom which should have no place in a democratic society,” said Nils Muiznieks, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. “It is the latest in a string of unacceptable and undue restrictions of media freedom in Turkey.” | “I see this as an extremely serious interference with media freedom which should have no place in a democratic society,” said Nils Muiznieks, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. “It is the latest in a string of unacceptable and undue restrictions of media freedom in Turkey.” |
| Reporters without Borders issued a strongly-worded statement, accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of “moving from authoritarianism to all-out despotism.” | Reporters without Borders issued a strongly-worded statement, accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of “moving from authoritarianism to all-out despotism.” |
| The U.S.-based watchdog, Freedom House, called on the European Union and the United States to speak out against the move. The EU, in particular, has been accused of keeping mute about human rights abuses and the deteriorating freedoms in Turkey because of the country’s crucial role in curtailing the flow of migrants to Europe. | The U.S.-based watchdog, Freedom House, called on the European Union and the United States to speak out against the move. The EU, in particular, has been accused of keeping mute about human rights abuses and the deteriorating freedoms in Turkey because of the country’s crucial role in curtailing the flow of migrants to Europe. |
| “The appointment of trustees to run Zaman amounts to a government takeover of a private media outlet, and is a flagrant violation of both rule of law and freedom of the press,” said Daniel Calingaert, Freedom’s House executive vice president. | “The appointment of trustees to run Zaman amounts to a government takeover of a private media outlet, and is a flagrant violation of both rule of law and freedom of the press,” said Daniel Calingaert, Freedom’s House executive vice president. |
| Gulen, who has lived in the United States since 1999, was once Erdogan’s ally but the two have fallen out. | Gulen, who has lived in the United States since 1999, was once Erdogan’s ally but the two have fallen out. |
| The government accuses the Gulen movement of orchestrating corruption allegations in December 2013 against ministers and people close to Erdogan as a plot to overthrow it. Authorities have since branded the movement a terror organization, although it is not known to have carried out acts of violence. | The government accuses the Gulen movement of orchestrating corruption allegations in December 2013 against ministers and people close to Erdogan as a plot to overthrow it. Authorities have since branded the movement a terror organization, although it is not known to have carried out acts of violence. |
| Gulen was placed on trial in absentia last year on charges of attempting to topple the government. | Gulen was placed on trial in absentia last year on charges of attempting to topple the government. |
| The government has cracked down on the movement since, purging civil servants suspected of ties to it, and businesses have been seized. | The government has cracked down on the movement since, purging civil servants suspected of ties to it, and businesses have been seized. |
| Earlier on Friday, police detained four senior officials of Boydak Holding company, which has ties to Gulen, over allegations that it provided financial support to the movement. The state-run Anadolu Agency says police in the central city of Kayseri detained Boydak Holding’s chairman, chief executive officer and two board members. | Earlier on Friday, police detained four senior officials of Boydak Holding company, which has ties to Gulen, over allegations that it provided financial support to the movement. The state-run Anadolu Agency says police in the central city of Kayseri detained Boydak Holding’s chairman, chief executive officer and two board members. |
| In October, courts similarly placed four media organizations, owned by a company linked to Gulen under trusteeship, turning them into pro-government outlets. | In October, courts similarly placed four media organizations, owned by a company linked to Gulen under trusteeship, turning them into pro-government outlets. |
| Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |