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| In Push Against Muslim Cleric, Turkey Detains Police Officers and Journalists | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ISTANBUL — The Turkish police detained at least 24 police officers, journalists 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, journalists 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 the organization’s members 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 the organization’s members 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 news media were also charged with “fabricating charges and evidence” in their productions to support a 2009 investigation, eventually dropped by prosecutors, that accused a group of people of being radical Islamists, the report said. | Some members of the news media were also charged with “fabricating charges and evidence” in their productions to support a 2009 investigation, eventually dropped by prosecutors, that accused a group of people of being radical Islamists, 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 went to the headquarters of Zaman, a pro-Gulen newspaper, to try to arrest the editor in chief. They left after lawyers for the newspaper pointed out missing signatures on the warrant, then returned later to make the arrest. | In Istanbul, security officials went to the headquarters of Zaman, a pro-Gulen newspaper, to try to arrest the editor in chief. They left after lawyers for the newspaper pointed out missing signatures on the warrant, then returned later 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 answer 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 answer 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. “This is a shameful scene, now marked in our country’s history.” | “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.” |
| Mr. Erdogan, in a televised speech on Friday, vowed to pursue members of the so-called parallel structure, which he said had challenged his rule with a corruption inquiry last year, as well as at other times. “We have gone into their lairs, and we will go into them again,” he said. “Whoever is beside them and behind them, we will bring down this network and bring it to account.” | Mr. Erdogan, in a televised speech on Friday, vowed to pursue members of the so-called parallel structure, which he said had challenged his rule with a corruption inquiry last year, as well as at other times. “We have gone into their lairs, and we will go into them again,” he said. “Whoever is beside them and behind them, we will bring down this network and bring it to account.” |
| The corruption investigation implicated many of those close to Mr. Erdogan, then the prime minister. The inquiry led to resignations of three ministers and was regarded as the biggest threat to the rule of Mr. Erdogan after more than a decade in power. Mr. Gulen, who was a close ally of Mr. Erdogan for years before a falling out, denied having any role in the investigation. | The corruption investigation implicated many of those close to Mr. Erdogan, then the prime minister. The inquiry led to resignations of three ministers and was regarded as the biggest threat to the rule of Mr. Erdogan after more than a decade in power. Mr. Gulen, who was a close ally of Mr. Erdogan for years before a falling out, denied having any role in the investigation. |
| After the investigation, thousands of police officers and prosecutors were removed from their 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 manner that, critics say, paved the way for corruption charges to be dropped in September against 96 suspects, who were Erdogan supporters. | After the investigation, thousands of police officers and prosecutors were removed from their 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 manner that, critics say, paved the way for corruption charges to be dropped in September against 96 suspects, who were Erdogan supporters. |
| The detentions on Sunday drew more than 1,000 people outside Zaman’s headquarters to protest repression of the news media. | The detentions on Sunday drew more than 1,000 people outside Zaman’s headquarters to protest repression of the news media. |
| “This is a reckless move toward dictatorship,” Cengiz Candar, a journalist critical of the government, wrote on 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,” Cengiz Candar, a journalist critical of the government, wrote on his Twitter account. “It is nothing else than a rough attack against media freedoms with the pretext of a ‘community operation.’ ” |
| A State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said in a statement: “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.” | A State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said in a statement: “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.” |
| Senior officials of the European Union, which Turkey hopes to join, issued a strongly worded statement, calling the detentions “incompatible with the freedom of media, which is a core principle of democracy.” | Senior officials of the European Union, which Turkey hopes to join, issued a strongly worded statement, calling the detentions “incompatible with the freedom of media, which is a core principle of democracy.” |
| “We expect that the principle of presumption of innocence will prevail,” the officials, Federica Mogherini and Johannes Hahn, said, “and recall the inalienable right for an independent and transparent investigation in case of any alleged wrongdoing.” | “We expect that the principle of presumption of innocence will prevail,” the officials, Federica Mogherini and Johannes Hahn, said, “and recall the inalienable right for an independent and transparent investigation in case of any alleged wrongdoing.” |
| The group Human Rights Watch called for clarification of the charges against journalists. | The group Human Rights Watch called for clarification of the charges against 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 researcher on Turkey 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 researcher on Turkey 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 recordings of corrupt deals between government officials and businessmen were circulated. In recent years, dozens of journalists have been investigated and charged and have lost their jobs because of critical coverage of the government. | Social media networks like Twitter and YouTube were shut down by the government in March after recordings of corrupt deals between government officials and businessmen were circulated. In recent years, dozens of journalists have been investigated and charged and have lost their jobs because of 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 shortly before he was detained. | “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 shortly before he was detained. |
| Mr. Dumanli added, “The government continues to put pressure on any critical group of writers or publications left in the Turkish media.” Television cameras showed him asking for his coat before leaving with police officers, while saying: “You fear if you are guilty. We do not fear.” | Mr. Dumanli added, “The government continues to put pressure on any critical group of writers or publications left in the Turkish media.” Television cameras showed him asking for his coat before leaving with police officers, while saying: “You fear if you are guilty. We do not fear.” |
| Hundreds of employees clapped as the editor left the building. Outside, Mr. Dumanli could barely make his way through a sea of more than a thousand people waving Turkish flags and applauding. | Hundreds of employees clapped as the editor left the building. Outside, Mr. Dumanli could barely make his way through a sea of more than a thousand people waving Turkish flags and applauding. |
| “Turkey is proud of you,” the crowd chanted. | “Turkey is proud of you,” the crowd chanted. |