US, EU condemn detention of journalists in Turkey

WASHINGTON - Agence France-Presse

Zaman editor-in-chief Ekrem Dumanlı, surrounded by his colleagues and plainclothes police officers (C), reacts as he leaves the headquarters of the Zaman newspaper in Istanbul, Dec. 14, 2014. REUTERS Photo

The United States expressed concern Dec. 14 over the detentions in Turkey of more than two dozen media figures.
      
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Washington was "closely following" reports of the raids and arrests.
      
"Media freedom, due process and judicial independence are key elements in every healthy democracy and are enshrined in the Turkish constitution," she added. "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."       

EU says Turkish raids on media outlets go against European values

Turkish police raids on media outlets are incompatible with media freedom and run counter to European values, the European Union said in an unusually strongly worded statement on Dec. 15.

"The police raids and arrests of a number of journalists and media representatives in Turkey today are incompatible with the freedom of media, which is a core principle of democracy," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said in the joint statement.

"This operation goes against the European values and standards Turkey aspires to be part of," they said.

Among those arrested was Ekrem Dumanlı, the editor-in-chief of the Zaman daily.
      
The group also includes an executive of Samanyolu television station, as well as a TV director, producers, scriptwriters and a number of police officers.