Police make detentions, raid houses of Cumhuriyet journalist

Turkish police have detained the editor-in-chief of daily Cumhuriyet and at least four other journalists, the newspaper reported early on Oct. 31, while CNN Türk reported that at least 13 warrants have been issued for the newspaper's journalists and executives.  

Editor-in-Chief Murat Sabuncu was detained while authorities also raided the houses of Executive Board Chairman Akın Atalay and writer Güray Öz, state-run Anadolu Agency said.

In addition to Sabuncu, Öz, Aydın Engin, Hikmet Çetinkaya and Hakan Kara have all been detained in raids, Cumhuriyet said, adding that the journalists have been banned from meeting with lawyers for five days.

The journalists are accused of aiding the Gülenist movement and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Meanwhile, detention warrants have been also issued for Kadri Gürsel, a consultant and writer for the newspaper, as well as accounts manager Günseli Özaltay.
Önder Çelik, Bülent Utku, Mustafa Kemal Güngör, Eser Yener, Müslüm Özışık, Turhan Günay and Nebil Özgentürk are all being sought for apprehension, the daily added.

The daily also said the home of caricaturist Musa Kart, who is also the subject of a detention warrant, was currently being searched.

Authorities sent out a notice to apprehend Atalay because he is currently overseas. 

A similar notice was issued for former Editor-in-Chief Can Dündar, who went abroad following a conviction in a case related to the alleged transfer of weapons by Turkey's intelligence services to rebels in Syria.

A great majority of those whose detentions were sought are members of the Cumhuriyet Foundation's Executive Board. 

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office, meanwhile, issued a statement saying the...