Altan

We learn to swear before we learn to talk properly -- a habit that goes on for life. If you are a modern-age politician, you have even more chances of perfecting the skill, thanks to your inner instincts of competitiveness and the not-so-silent majority who applaud or re-tweet your nastiness.

An Istanbul court ordered the arrest of author and prominent journalist Ahmet Altan on Sept. 23 as a part of the investigation into the Gülen movement, which was accused of orchestrating the failed coup attempt of July 15, hours after his detainment for the second time as part of the investigation.

An Istanbul court ordered the arrest of prominent journalist Ahmet Altan on Sept. 23, after the former daily Taraf editor-in-chief was detained by police for a second time.

Altan was initially freed before dawn on Sept. 22 while the Istanbul court arrested his academic brother, Professor Mehmet Altan.

An Istanbul court arrested a well-known Turkish professor over links to the Gülen movement on Sept. 22, 10 days after he and his journalist brother were detained over statements on a TV channel before the July 15 coup attempt that were deemed to "call for a coup." 

An Istanbul court arrested a well-known Turkish professor over links to the Gülen movement on Sept. 22, 10 days after he and his journalist brother were detained over statements on a TV channel before the July 15 coup attempt that were deemed to "call for a coup." 

A court in Istanbul remanded in custody Turkish Professor Mehmet Altan on Sept. 22 in connection with a probe into the Gülenist movement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has criticized Turkey over press freedom, at an award ceremony of the Sanssouci Colloquium held in Germany's Potsdam. Merkel mentioned the former editor-in-chief of the daily Cumhuriyet, Can Dündar, during her speech, as she stressed the significance of press freedom. 

About 40 prominent academics and authors from around the world are urging Turkey's government to end what they say is the persecution of the country's own writers and professors voicing a differing point of view.

Prominent journalist Ahmet Altan and his brother, academic and columnist Prof. Mehmet Altan, were detained on Sept. 10 for questioning.

Announcing the detentions, Istanbul-based Platform for Independent Journalism (P24) said the reason for the detentions was "Altan brothers' statements on a TV show before the July 15 failed coup attempt in Turkey."

'Endgame' by Ahmet Altan (Canongate, £13, 384 pages)