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| Turkish Police Officers and Media Workers Are Detained in Roundup | Turkish Police Officers and Media Workers Are Detained in Roundup |
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| ISTANBUL — The Turkish police detained at least 24 police officers and media workers in raids on Sunday morning, days after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled a new campaign against supporters of an influential Muslim cleric whom he has accused of attempting to overthrow his government. | ISTANBUL — The Turkish police detained at least 24 police officers and media workers in raids on Sunday morning, days after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled a new campaign against supporters of an influential Muslim cleric whom he has accused of attempting to overthrow his government. |
| Eight other people were on a list of suspects accused of “using pressure, intimidation, threats,” a “smear campaign” and “fabrication of evidence” to claim the power of state as members of an illegal organization, the semiofficial press agency Anadolu reported. Mr. Erdogan has said that they are part of a parallel structure within the state that is intended by the cleric, Fethullah Gulen, to oust him from power. | Eight other people were on a list of suspects accused of “using pressure, intimidation, threats,” a “smear campaign” and “fabrication of evidence” to claim the power of state as members of an illegal organization, the semiofficial press agency Anadolu reported. Mr. Erdogan has said that they are part of a parallel structure within the state that is intended by the cleric, Fethullah Gulen, to oust him from power. |
| Some members of the media were also charged with “fabricating charges and evidence” in their productions to support a 2009 investigation into an alleged fundamentalist organization, the report said. | Some members of the media were also charged with “fabricating charges and evidence” in their productions to support a 2009 investigation into an alleged fundamentalist organization, the report said. |
| Mr. Gulen lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania and is believed to have many followers and sympathizers in important positions in the Turkish police and judiciary. | Mr. Gulen lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania and is believed to have many followers and sympathizers in important positions in the Turkish police and judiciary. |
| On Sunday, the producer and director of a television show were detained in Eskisehir, in northwestern Turkey, and the scriptwriter of another series was taken into custody in Van, an eastern province, according to Anadolu. All three work for Samanyolu Broadcasting Group, which is affiliated with Mr. Gulen. | On Sunday, the producer and director of a television show were detained in Eskisehir, in northwestern Turkey, and the scriptwriter of another series was taken into custody in Van, an eastern province, according to Anadolu. All three work for Samanyolu Broadcasting Group, which is affiliated with Mr. Gulen. |
| In Istanbul, security officials arrived at the headquarters of Zaman, a pro-Gulen newspaper, to arrest the editor in chief. They left, however, after lawyers for the newspaper pointed out missing signatures on the warrant, but later returned to make the arrest. | In Istanbul, security officials arrived at the headquarters of Zaman, a pro-Gulen newspaper, to arrest the editor in chief. They left, however, after lawyers for the newspaper pointed out missing signatures on the warrant, but later returned to make the arrest. |
| Television reports showed dozens of newspaper workers holding banners in support of press freedom and chanting, “Free press cannot be silenced,” as the police initially entered the packed building. | Television reports showed dozens of newspaper workers holding banners in support of press freedom and chanting, “Free press cannot be silenced,” as the police initially entered the packed building. |
| Hidayet Karaca, the president of Samanyolu, was summoned to the Istanbul Police Headquarters to testify on allegations that the media organization and Mr. Gulen had tried to topple Mr. Erdogan’s pro-Islamic Justice and Development Party. Mr. Karaca was later detained. | Hidayet Karaca, the president of Samanyolu, was summoned to the Istanbul Police Headquarters to testify on allegations that the media organization and Mr. Gulen had tried to topple Mr. Erdogan’s pro-Islamic Justice and Development Party. Mr. Karaca was later detained. |
| “Here’s the attitude toward an international media group with dozens of television stations, dozens of publications, dozens of radio stations not only at home, but also abroad,” Mr. Karaca said in a live broadcast as he left his home for the Police Headquarters. | “Here’s the attitude toward an international media group with dozens of television stations, dozens of publications, dozens of radio stations not only at home, but also abroad,” Mr. Karaca said in a live broadcast as he left his home for the Police Headquarters. |
| “This is a shameful scene, now marked in our country’s history,” he added. | “This is a shameful scene, now marked in our country’s history,” he added. |
| Mr. Erdogan, in a speech on Friday, vowed to pursue members of the so-called parallel structure, which he claimed challenged his rule with a corruption inquiry last December, as well as in other campaigns. | Mr. Erdogan, in a speech on Friday, vowed to pursue members of the so-called parallel structure, which he claimed challenged his rule with a corruption inquiry last December, as well as in other campaigns. |
| “We have gone into their lairs, and we will go into them again,” Mr. Erdogan said in the televised speech in Ankara, the capital. “Whoever is beside them and behind them, we will bring down this network and bring it to account.” | “We have gone into their lairs, and we will go into them again,” Mr. Erdogan said in the televised speech in Ankara, the capital. “Whoever is beside them and behind them, we will bring down this network and bring it to account.” |
| The corruption investigation last year implicated many of those close to Mr. Erdogan, who at the time was prime minister. The inquiry also led to the resignation of three ministers and was regarded as the biggest threat to Mr. Erdogan’s rule after more than a decade in power. Mr. Gulen, who was a close ally of Mr. Erdogan’s for years before their falling out, denied having any role in the investigation. | The corruption investigation last year implicated many of those close to Mr. Erdogan, who at the time was prime minister. The inquiry also led to the resignation of three ministers and was regarded as the biggest threat to Mr. Erdogan’s rule after more than a decade in power. Mr. Gulen, who was a close ally of Mr. Erdogan’s for years before their falling out, denied having any role in the investigation. |
| In the aftermath of the investigation, thousands of police officers and prosecutors were removed from the positions in what was seen by many as an attempt by Mr. Erdogan to eliminate Mr. Gulen’s influence in the state structure. Senior judicial bodies were also restructured in a way that, critics say, paved the way for corruption charges against 96 suspects, who were Erdogan supporters, to be dropped in September. | In the aftermath of the investigation, thousands of police officers and prosecutors were removed from the positions in what was seen by many as an attempt by Mr. Erdogan to eliminate Mr. Gulen’s influence in the state structure. Senior judicial bodies were also restructured in a way that, critics say, paved the way for corruption charges against 96 suspects, who were Erdogan supporters, to be dropped in September. |
| A day before Mr. Erdogan’s speech on Friday, a widely followed whistle-blower on Twitter said that the police were planning to round up about 400 people, including at least 150 journalists known to support Mr. Gulen. | A day before Mr. Erdogan’s speech on Friday, a widely followed whistle-blower on Twitter said that the police were planning to round up about 400 people, including at least 150 journalists known to support Mr. Gulen. |
| While the raids were more limited than the warning suggested, the detentions on Sunday still drew more than 1,000 demonstrators outside Zaman’s headquarters to protest against media repression. | While the raids were more limited than the warning suggested, the detentions on Sunday still drew more than 1,000 demonstrators outside Zaman’s headquarters to protest against media repression. |
| “This is a reckless move toward dictatorship,” wrote Cengiz Candar, a journalist critical of the government, in his Twitter account. “It is nothing else than a rough attack against media freedoms with the pretext of a ‘community operation.'” | “This is a reckless move toward dictatorship,” wrote Cengiz Candar, a journalist critical of the government, in his Twitter account. “It is nothing else than a rough attack against media freedoms with the pretext of a ‘community operation.'” |
| In a statement released Sunday, a State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki said: “Media freedom, due process, and judicial independence are key elements in every healthy democracy and are enshrined in the Turkish constitution. As Turkey’s friend and ally, we urge the Turkish authorities to ensure their actions do not violate these core values and Turkey’s own democratic foundations.” | |
| The group Human Rights Watch called for a clarification of the charges against the journalists. | |
| “The detention of journalists and editors in the context of this latest, wider operation of arrests looks like another attempt to crack down on critical media,” said Emma Sinclair-Webb, a senior Turkey researcher with Human Rights Watch. “The burden is on the government to produce evidence to justify accusing Zaman and Samanyolu group editors and journalists of being part of an organization which attempted to capture state power, as the Istanbul judge’s detention warrant states.” | “The detention of journalists and editors in the context of this latest, wider operation of arrests looks like another attempt to crack down on critical media,” said Emma Sinclair-Webb, a senior Turkey researcher with Human Rights Watch. “The burden is on the government to produce evidence to justify accusing Zaman and Samanyolu group editors and journalists of being part of an organization which attempted to capture state power, as the Istanbul judge’s detention warrant states.” |
| Social media networks like Twitter and YouTube were shut down by the government in March after the circulation of recordings of corruption deals between government officials and businessmen. In recent years, dozens of journalists have been investigated, have been charged and have lost their jobs because of their critical coverage of the government. | Social media networks like Twitter and YouTube were shut down by the government in March after the circulation of recordings of corruption deals between government officials and businessmen. In recent years, dozens of journalists have been investigated, have been charged and have lost their jobs because of their critical coverage of the government. |
| “Defining all of this within the pretext of a struggle between the government” and Mr. Gulen and his supporters was misleading, Ekrem Dumanli, Zaman’s editor in chief, said in a phone interview. | “Defining all of this within the pretext of a struggle between the government” and Mr. Gulen and his supporters was misleading, Ekrem Dumanli, Zaman’s editor in chief, said in a phone interview. |
| Mr. Dumanli, shortly before he was detained on Sunday, said, “The government continues to put pressure on any critical group of writers or publications left in the Turkish media.” | Mr. Dumanli, shortly before he was detained on Sunday, said, “The government continues to put pressure on any critical group of writers or publications left in the Turkish media.” |
| News television cameras showed Mr. Dumanli asking for his coat before leaving with a group of police officers, and saying: “You fear if you are guilty. We do not fear.” | News television cameras showed Mr. Dumanli asking for his coat before leaving with a group of police officers, and saying: “You fear if you are guilty. We do not fear.” |
| Hundreds of employees clapped as the editor left the building, while many chanted, “Free media cannot be silenced.” Outside the building, Mr. Dumanli could barely make his way through a sea of more than a thousand people waving Turkish flags and applauding in support. | Hundreds of employees clapped as the editor left the building, while many chanted, “Free media cannot be silenced.” Outside the building, Mr. Dumanli could barely make his way through a sea of more than a thousand people waving Turkish flags and applauding in support. |
| “Turkey is proud of you,” the crowd chanted. | “Turkey is proud of you,” the crowd chanted. |