Four released in Turkey’s media operation

ISTANBUL / VAN – Doğan News Agency

Supporters of Zaman hold copies of the newspaper during a demonstration against the detention of journalists outside the Istanbul police headquarters on Dec. 15. AFP Photo

Four people who were detained in a series of police operations against members of the Turkish media, which have stirred reactions both in the country and internationally over freedom of the press, have been released.

Director Naci Çeliksoy and three scriptwriters, Ebru Şenvardar, Elif Yılmaz and Makbule Çam Alemdağ, of the television drama “Tek Türkiye,” which aired on private broadcaster Samanyolu four years ago, were among those detained in the Dec. 14 operations.

Çeliksoy, Şenvardar and Yılmaz were detained in Istanbul and released by the prosecutor after giving their testimonies.

Alemdağ, who was detained in the eastern province of Van, was released after being questioned by police without being sent to Istanbul for further questioning.

Director Çeliksoy said prosecutors had asked questions about the TV series and a terrorist organization called “Tahşiyeciler.”

“They told us that we used something dictated by [Fethullah Gülen] in ‘Tek Türkiye.’ I told them I don’t have any information about that,” Çeliksoy said.

Police detained 31 people in the Dec. 14 operations, including media figures and former police chiefs, in simultaneous raids at addresses in 13 provinces across Turkey.

Ekrem Dumanlı, the editor-in-chief of daily Zaman, and Samanyolu Media Group Head Hidayet Karaca were among those detained.