On Friday, a Turkish newspaper said that one of its journalists had been deported from the country due to his criticism online against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. Reuters said that the incident was another affirmation that the constriction of media freedom was fully enforced a day after Turkey has tightened its controls on the Internet.
Zaman today said its online editor, Azerbaijan native Mahir Zeynalov, was escorted to a plane by police in Istanbul. The news agency said the Turkish paper is close to Fethullah Gulen, a US-based preacher who has been engaging in a feud with the Turkish president regarding a corruption scandal that is currently shaing the country.
Erdogan reportedly said that efforts by Gulen was the latter's bid to unseat him from his presidency. Erdogan has responded to Gulen, who is said to have extensive influence in the judiciary and the police, by purging over 200 prosecutors and thousands of police officers.
Over the phone, Zeynalov said from Azerbaijan capital Baku, "A body linked to the prime minister received a tip that I insulted high-level officials and informed the Interior Ministry (which) decided to deport me." Zeynalov added that the Turkish government had denied his working permit last month. He also added that he had to pay TRY103, which is equivalent to $46 in finds prior to him taking a plane out of Turkey.
Editor-in-chief of Today's Zaman Bulent Kenes said, "This is an utterly despotic and arbitrary decision. We don't see it as an attack against our paper, it's an attempt to intimidate all foreign journalists working in Turkey."
Erdogan and the Turkish parliament caused an international uproar, especially from the European Union, when his government approved new measures that would constrict freedom of speech. Reuters said that Turkey's stance on freedom of speech has long been the factor on why it has not been able to acqire membership from the EU.
Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE representative on freedom of the media, said, "Freedom of expression does not stop at statements deemed proper by those in power, and limiting this right will further tighten the control of media in Turkey."
