The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Turkey to stop what it calls a "sweeping purge" of the media.
In the wake of the failed coup in that country, Turkish authorities have shut down more than 100 radio and TV outlets, newspapers, magazines and publishers, claiming that they were all allied with the Hizmet movement accused of being behind the coup attempt by some factions of the military.
“The scale of this rout of the media is staggering,” CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program coordinator Nina Ognianova said in a statement. “Instead of channeling the overwhelming support it has received from across the political spectrum to unite the nation, the government is exploiting a failed coup to silence the critical press when Turkey most needs pluralistic media.”
According to press reports, there have also been almost 90 warrants for the arrest of journalists issued in the past week.
CPYJ is an independent nonprofit working to protect journalists abroad and at home.
