BBP Head Visits Newly Released Journalist Dumanlı

Grand Unity Party (BBP) leader Mustafa Destici paid a visit on Sunday to Zaman daily Editor-in-Chief Ekrem Dumanlı, who was detained on “terrorism charges” in the Dec. 14 media crackdown and released pending trial on Friday.

In a show of support to the free press, Destici arrived at the headquarters of the Zaman daily in İstanbul's Yenibosna district on Sunday morning. Destici was welcomed by Zaman daily executives and visited Dumanlı in his office.

Following the meeting between the pair, Destici spoke to Zaman reporters, saying: “We have always stood by what we believe is right. We did not see any legal grounds behind the Dec. 14 operations and detentions against the Zaman daily, Samanyolu Broadcasting Group, some scriptwriters, actors and police officers. The government's move to silence free media is tantamount to gagging opposition parties.”

According to Destici, the international community clearly saw the operation was not legal and a politically motivated move to suppress and intimidate free media.

Destici said he is happy that Dumanlı was released but views the arrest of Samanyolu Broadcasting Group head Hidayet Karaca as a crackdown on the media.

Destici called on the government to stop interfering with the judiciary and end the pressure on the media.

Dumanlı was detained on Dec. 14 among 30 others in a police raid on the Zaman daily headquarters and released awaiting trial on Friday, while the court decided to arrest Karaca. Both are accused of "running a terrorist organization," based on no evidence but news reports, columns and a television series. The operation took place as part of a government-orchestrated investigation against its dissenters.(Cihan/Today's Zaman)

SHOTLIST
TURKEY, ISTANBUL, 21 DEC 2014

Arrival of BBP Leader
Destici being welcomed at the door
Destici and accompanying delegation at the room of Dumanlı
Dumanlı comes to the room
VAR of the meeting

DURATION: 03:09