Turkish daily Sözcü publishes blank issue to protest detention warrant on executive, staff members

ISTANBUL - The Associated Press

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Turkish critical daily Sözcü has published a “May 19 Press Freedom Special Edition,” left blank to protest the detentions of some staff members. 

The May 19 edition of the daily carried empty columns with writers’ names and also left the weather section blank.

It was a response to the May 18 detentions of Mediha Olgun, the editor of Sözcü’s website, and reporter Gökmen Ulu.

Detention warrants were also issued for owner Burak Akbay and head of finance Yonca Kaleli over alleged links to the movement of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, accused of masterminding the July 2016 failed coup attempt.

The journalists were accused of “being a member of terror organization and committing crime on behalf of the organization,” “assault against the president,” and “armed insurgency against the Turkish government.”