What is Turkey's gameplan?

Ankara's earlier decision to take on the Kurds, and now this attempt to muzzle the Press could hurt its image in the eyes of the world.

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Published: Sun 6 Mar 2016, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Mon 7 Mar 2016, 10:03 AM

Ankara has cracked down on the country's biggest newspaper Zaman which is unwarranted at a time when Turkey is at war with Daesh. This seems to be an attempt to browbeat the opposition, as the newspaper is linked to the Hizmet movement of influential US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. The ruling AK Party is at odds with Gulen and his social services network, including schools. But little is known what compelled the government to act against the popular newspaper. Its Istanbul offices have been sealed and the editor, Abdulhamit Bilici, sacked. A number of protesting journalists and sympathisers have been arrested. The government says it has nothing to do with the move, as it is a court order against the publication. The court apparently ruled on a pending litigation against the newspaper and placed it under state control. It is now believed that the government will appoint the managing hierarchy of the paper, and might bring it out with a new mandate. The employees of the newspaper, however, say that it is an attempt to gag the Press.
The question is what's next? Reactions from the European Union and the United States are surprisingly muted. They have called for restraint, but stopped short of voicing their concern for freedom of speech. Turkey seems to have got its way by exploiting the geostrategic nexus with the West. As Ankara is supposed to take care of hundreds and thousands of refugees on their way to Europe from Syria via Turkey, the EU apparently feels that it should not annoy its strategic partner. But the protests are not going to die down any time soon. Ankara's earlier decision to take on the Kurds, and now this attempt to muzzle the Press could hurt its image in the eyes of the world.


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