More Than 130 Media Outlets Shut Down Over Turkey’s Failed Coup Attempt

ISTANBUL (Hurriyet Daily) — More than 100 media outlets have been shut down over suspected links to the July 15 failed coup attempt, according to the second state of emergency decree law published in the Official Gazette late on July 27.

A total of 131 media organizations were shut down over suspected links to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) says masterminded the failed takeover.

Three of the closed outlets were news agencies, 16 were television channels, 23 were radio stations, 45 were newspapers, 15 were magazines and 29 were publishers and distribution channels.

The three closed news agencies were Cihan News Agency, Muhabir News Agency and Sem News Agency.

Daily Zaman and its English edition, Today’s Zaman, daily Taraf, daily Bugün, daily Meydan and daily Millet were among the closed newspapers, in addition to the dozens of local ones based in Adana, Afyonkarahisar, Antalya, Aydin, Batman, Bingöl, Hatay, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli, Kütahya, Manisa, Mugla, Nigde, Sivas, Sanliurfa, Tekirdag, Usak and Van.

Aksiyon, Nokta, Zirve and Sizinti were among the closed magazines, along with 12 others.

The closed television channels included Bugün TV, Kanaltürk TV and Samanyolu TV. Yumurcak TV, a children’s channel, was also closed.

Kanaltürk Radio, Herkül FM and Cihan Radio were among the radio stations closed as a part of the decree law.

Officials from the Finance Ministry have carried out examinations in the buildings of daily Taraf, daily Zaman and Cihan News Agency, Dogan News Agency reported on July 28.

The chattels, assets, receivables and rights, documents and papers belonging to the shutdown media outlets will be registered under the name of Turkey’s treasury, according to the Official Gazette.