US, EU criticize Turkey over arrest of journalists

WASHINGTON DC—The United States and European governments criticized Turkey for a police raid on media offices and the arrest of a number of journalists on Sunday, urging Turkey to respect freedom of speech.

“We are closely following reports that Turkish police have conducted a series of raids and arrests at locations across Turkey,” US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.  “As Turkey’s friend and ally, we urge the Turkish authorities to ensure their actions do not violate these core values and Turkey’s own democratic foundations.”

Turkish police raided the offices of the Zaman newspaper and national TV network Samanyolu TV affiliated with US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen and arrested 31 managers, directors and journalists.

“It appears that media outlets that have been openly critical of the current Turkish government are among the targets of these actions by Turkish law enforcement,” read the State Department statement.

Tensions between the Turkish government led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Gulen Movement have been running high in recent years. The Zaman newspaper has been a vocal critic of Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The European Union also condemned the actions of the Turkish police, saying that the arrests “went against European values”.

“The raids and arrests are incompatible with the freedom of media, which is a core principle of democracy," EU Foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini and EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn said in a joint statement.

The EU officials said that the actions of the Turkish police could affect the country’s bid to join the European Union, saying EU membership depended on "full respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights".

“We expect that the principle of presumption of innocence will prevail and recall the inalienable right for an independent and transparent investigation,” read their statement.