The problem of a regressive mentality

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said "developments in Turkey are alarming." Was it strange to hear such words from her or from any other European leader? If such a sentence was to come out from the mouth of Vladimir Putin, right, then it would have been totally awkward.

The raid on Cumhuriyet and the subsequent arrest of the editor and scores of writers and executives of the newspaper was not, of course, something surprising. In private discussions on the sidelines of the Turkish-German journalists' symposium held last week in Antalya by the Turkish Journalists Association and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the possibility of the government moving on Cumhuriyet was among the top three subjects. Orhan Erinç, the chairman of the Cumhuriyet Foundation who apparently escaped detention because of his advanced age, appeared very worried during the discussions. He was proven correct. 

Kadri Gürsel, one of the Cumhuriyet writers taken in, was particularly concerned about criticisms and accusations directed at his paper in the pro-government media. "This period will be remembered not only with the incredible, massive violation of media freedom by the government but also with the 'colleagues' serving at pro-government media attacking journalists critical of the government," he said and lamented: "These are not journalists. They are propagandists."

Unfortunately, this is particularly true of journalist deputies sitting in the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) benches in parliament. Indeed, can anyone still consider a journalist any of those scribes who have apparently developed such a degree of allegiance with the government to declare "there are no journalists in prison; they are all terrorists?"

Obviously, this period will...