News / Turkey

Turkey's seized paper publishes pro-Erdogan edition

Sunday, 06 March 2016 2:55 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 06 March 2016 3:49 PM ]

A woman cries as Turkish anti-riot police officers disperse supporters in front of the headquarters of the Turkish daily newspaper Zaman in Istanbul on March 5, 2016, after Turkish authorities seized the headquarters in a midnight raid. (AFP Photo)

Turkey’s opposition newspaper, Zaman, has switched to pro-government line after its seizure by authorities.

The Zaman newspaper, a longtime critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, printed on Sunday its first new edition since its management board was changed by an Istanbul court.

In one corner of the front page, Erdogan is seen holding the hand of an elderly woman and the newspaper announces the president is due to host a reception for women on women's day.

The front page also contained images of the funerals of "martyrs" killed in the military clashes with Kurdish militants in the southeast and headlined an ambitious three-billion-dollar government project to connect Asian and European sides of Turkey's mega city Istanbul by a third bridge.

Police on Friday raided the Istanbul premises of the Zaman newspaper using tear gas and water cannon to enter the building in order to impose a court order placing the media business under administration.

Gulen fled to the United States in 1999 after the former secular authorities laid charges against him. Turkey has asked the US to extradite him but Washington has shown little interest in doing so.

Zaman, with an estimated circulation of 650,000, is affiliated to Erdogan's arch-enemy, opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, believed to be wielding significant influence in the police and judiciary, as well as media and business circles.

Ankara accuses Gulen of running what it calls the Fethullahist Terror Organisation/Parallel State Structure (FeTO/PDY) and seeking to overthrow the legitimate Turkish authorities.

US-based opposition cleric, Fethullah Gulen (AFP Photo)

In its last edition that went to print before its takeover, the newspaper warned of the "darkest days" in the history of the Turkish press, and on Saturday police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse a group of the paper's supporters who were clapping in protest.

Zaman’s new management, under tight police supervision on Saturday, dismissed editor-in-chief Abdulhamit Bilici.

Critics said the takeover was aimed at eradicating opposition media.

"The Sunday edition was not produced by Zaman's staff," one of the newspaper's journalists told media.

The European Union urged Turkey to uphold press freedom. Human Rights Watch (HRW) also condemned the Turkish government’s move to “silence critical media.”

The Turkish government claims that the takeover was decided by the independent judiciary branch.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk