Zaman

I have to admit, I do agree with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan!

He was surprised by the European Union’s critical statement about the arrests of journalists and media representatives that took place Sunday, Dec. 14.

I was surprised too!

He was not only intrigued about the substance, but also the timing. Exactly my feeling!

“Is that only two articles and a news item that you have against me?” Ekrem Dumanlı, the editor-in-chief of daily Zaman asked the judge. “Yes,” answered Bekir Altun, the Istanbul 1st Criminal Court judge.

Finally, the crackdown on the Gülen movement has been extended to the Gülenist media, and 16 people, including two editors-in-chief (of daily Zaman and Samanyolu TV), were detained on Dec. 14. The timing was also very symbolic since it was the anniversary of the Dec. 17-25 corruption probes against the government last year.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said he is closely following the operation launched on Dec. 14 targeting some members of the Fethullah Gülen movement, including two top executives of media groups close to the U.S.-based Islamic scholar, while he has also slammed international organizations for voicing concerns over media freedom in Turkey.

A Turkish court has issued an arrest warrant for U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, a former ally turned arch-enemy of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

An Istanbul court has ordered the arrest of four of the 12 suspects, including Samayolu TV's head, who were detained in a Dec. 14 police operation on media groups linked to U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Eight suspects, including Zaman Editor-in-Chief Ekrem Dumanlı, have been released. The court, however, imposed a travel ban on Dumanlı.

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has opposed the detention of two media chiefs who were taken into custody in controversial weekend raids on journalists and television staff linked to U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

"It is not right to deprive a person of their personal freedom for even a single day," Arınç told reporters on Dec. 19.

As the police raid on daily Zaman and Samanyolu TV attracts more criticism from the European and U.S. capitals, the Gülen movement’s cohabitation with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) governments (or vice versa) shows an impressive balance.

A total of 16 people who were detained in a Dec. 14 operation on media groups linked to the Fethullah Gülen movement have been sent to court after their testimonies were taken by police.

The year-long fight between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Fethullah Gülen community entered a new phase after the detentions of daily Zaman editor-in-chief Ekrem Dumanlı and Samanyolu TV station editor Hidayet Karaca, along with more than two dozen others, mainly from the police department.