Turkey: muzzling media

IN Media Watch Briefs | 28/07/2016

Stepping up its clampdown on the media in the wake of the failed coup earlier this month, the Turkish government has ordered the closure of scores of media organisations by a decree late Wednesday, The Washington Post reports. On Monday 42 journalists were detained. And yesterday detention orders were issued against nearly 50 journalists and media personalities connected with the newspaper Zaman. Before it was ordered to shut down in March this year, Zaman had been Turkey’s largest daily. But it faced the wrath of the government as the newspaper is believed to have links with Fethullah Gulen, a Muslic cleric who is opposed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Wednesday’s decree ordered the shut down of three news agencies, 16 television channels, 23 radio stations and 45 newspapers.

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