Istanbul prosecutors Wednesday ordered the detention of 47 former employees of Zaman, a newspaper until recently run by the Gulen group – an organization accused of being behind the July 15 deadly coup attempt, Anadolu Agency reports.
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The official, declining to be named, said the swoop covers “executives and some staff including columnists”, describing Zaman as the “flagship media organisation” of the movement led by Gülen, a US-based preacher.
Since being taken over by administrators “Zaman” has toed a strong pro-government line. USA officials have said they will review the case.
The latest arrests come just two days after the Turkish government issued warrants for 42 other journalists including a well-respected commentator Nazli Ilicak, who was also a former member of parliament.
Gulen has denied any involvement in the failed coup.t.
Meanwhile, Private News Agency Dogan, or DHA, said a group of inspectors from Turkey’s Finance Ministry on Thursday investigated the Istanbul office of Taraf daily newspaper, one of the media outlets closed down on Wednesday.
“His [Erdogan’s] goal: to ensure my extradition, despite a lack of credible evidence and virtually no prospect for a fair trial”, Gulen wrote in an opinion piece for the New York Times, as cited by Reuters. The list includes the former editor-in-chiefs of the English-language edition of the paper, Bulent Kenes and Sevgi Akarcesme.
With 143 generals and more than 3,000 soldiers arrested on suspicion of links to the coup, there are gaping holes in the command structure which will have to be filled.
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He warned that a lack of support for Turkey could harm ties with allies.
