Turkish police detain opposition Cumhuriyet's chief editor: mediaOctober 31, 2016 - 10:49 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish police on Monday, October 31 detained the editor-in-chief of the opposition secularist Cumhuriyet newspaper and said homes of the paper's executives and writers were being searched, broadcaster CNN Turk and other media reported, according to Reuters. Prosecutors have issued detention warrants for a total of 13 executives and writers at the newspaper including editor Murat Sabuncu and the paper's chairman, CNN Turk said, adding that one of its writers had been detained in the capital Ankara. The pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper said on its website they were being investigated over alleged links to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of orchestrating a failed coup in July, as well as links to Kurdish militants. Cumhuriyet's previous editor Can Dundar was sentenced to six years for publishing state secrets involving Ankara's Syria operations. His conviction sparked censure from rights groups and Western governments worried about worsening human rights in Turkey under President Tayyip Erdogan. The police operation comes after Turkey at the weekend dismissed a further 10,000 civil servants and closed 15 more media outlets over suspected links with militant groups and Gulen, Reuters says. More than 100,000 people had already been sacked or suspended and 37,000 arrested since the abortive putsch in an unprecedented crackdown that Erdogan says is crucial to wipe out Gulen's network from the state apparatus. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |