Turkey reportedly issues warrants for 42 journalists in crackdown after failed coup

Turkey on Monday issued warrants for the detention of 42 journalists suspected of links to the alleged organizers of a failed military uprising, intensifying concerns that a sweeping crackdown on alleged coup plotters could target media for any news coverage critical of the government.

While the Turkish government said it is investigating the journalists for possible criminal conduct rather than their reporting, critics warned that a state of emergency imposed after the July 15 coup attempt poses a threat to freedom of expression.

“We fear there will be a witch hunt which would include journalists known as `critical’ against the government. Because they are putting all journalists into one bag,” said Ahmet Abakay, president of the Progressive Journalists’ Association, a media group based in the Turkish capital Ankara. He said the situation was “very dangerous for every journalist” and that government warnings to reporters to be careful would lead to self-censorship.

“By rounding up journalists, the government is failing to make a distinction between criminal acts and legitimate criticism,” said Gauri van Gulik, Amnesty International’s deputy director for Europe.

More than 13,000 people in the military, judiciary and other institutions have been detained since the uprising, which killed about 290 people.

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