Prosecutor Defies Court Ruling To Release Journalist Karaca,A First In Judiciary

An İstanbul prosecutor defied a court decision to release journalist Hidayet Karaca and 63 police officers who were arrested in government-backed operations targeting police force last year, which is a first in judiciary that a prosecutor unrecognized a ruling without any authority.

Lawyers representing Samanyolu Broadcasting Group CEO Karaca and the 63 arrested officers announced on Saturday that an İstanbul court ruled to release their clients pending trial.

Karaca, who was being held in Silivri Prison without any indictment or any reason for the extension of his arrest, was detained as part of a major media crackdown on Dec. 14, 2014, just three days before the first anniversary of the massive corruption investigations of Dec. 17 and 25. The year before the major crackdown on the Samanyolu Broadcasting Group and Turkey's best-selling daily Zaman, the government used all means possible to muzzle the remaining free and independent media to prevent questions about corruption.