Ekrem Dumanlı
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Ekrem Dumanlı (born 1964) is a Turkish newspaper executive and, since 2001, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper '' Zaman''. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of its English-language version, ''
Today's Zaman ''Today's Zaman'' (Zaman is Turkish for 'time' or 'age') was an English-language daily newspaper based in Turkey. Established on 17 January 2007, it was the English-language edition of the Turkish daily '' Zaman.'' ''Today's Zaman'' included dom ...
''. Dumanlı graduated from the Department of Turkish Language and Literature at
Istanbul University Istanbul University, also known as University of Istanbul (), is a Public university, public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after Fall of Constantinople, the conquest of Constantinop ...
and worked for a time as a teacher of literature. He has also held a teaching position at Fatih University in Istanbul. In 1993, he started working as a reporter for the Culture and Art Desk of ''Zaman''. He was later assigned as Culture and Art Desk editor and publication coordinator. In 1997, Dumanlı went to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
to further his studies in the media, completing his master's degree at Boston Emerson College. Returning to Turkey in 2001, Dumanlı was appointed editor-in-chief of ''Zaman''. His articles have also been published by the foreign press, including "The Turkey-U.S. Divide" by the Los Angeles Times. A play he wrote, titled ''The Last Trial'', was performed on stage. Dumanlı is a member of (''Media Association''), the
World Association of Newspapers The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization made up of 76 national newspaper associations, 12 news agencies, 10 regional press organisations, and many individual newspaper e ...
(WAN), the Türkiye Yazarlar Birliği (Turkish Writers Union), and the BJK Sports Club Congress. Dumanlı was listed in Georgetown University's list of The 500 Most Influential Muslims in 2009. he is a known member of the Gulen Movement.


2014 arrest and criticism of government

On 14 December 2014 Turkish police arrested more than two dozen senior journalists and media executives on charges of "forming, leading and being a member of an armed terrorist organization." Among those now detained was Dumanlı, who was serving as editor-in-chief of ''Zaman''. The arrested were people associated with the
Gülen movement The Gülen movement () or Hizmet movement () is an Islamist fraternal movement. It is a sub-sect of Sunni Islam based on a Nursian theological perspective as reflected in Fethullah Gülen's religious teachings. It is referred to by its membe ...
. The Turkish government accuses the movement of infiltrating the police and judiciary. Police arriving at 7.30 a.m. at the newspaper's office were greeted by scores of protesters shouting "a free media cannot be silenced." They had mounted a vigil after tweets from "" - a reliable but anonymous source - had warned of the raid. Police retreated only to reappear in the afternoon when Dumanlı gave himself up voluntarily. A statement by the
US State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs o ...
drawing attention to raids against media outlets "openly critical of the current Turkish government", cautioned Turkey not to violate its "own democratic foundations". EU foreign affairs chief
Federica Mogherini Federica Mogherini (; born 16 June 1973) is an Italian politician who served as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019. A member of the Democratic ...
and EU Enlargement Commissioner
Johannes Hahn Johannes Hahn (born 2 December 1957) is an Austrian politician who has served as European Commissioner for Budget and Administration under Ursula von der Leyen since 1 December 2019. He previously served as European Commissioner for Neighbourho ...
said that the arrests went "against European values" and "are incompatible with the freedom of media, which is a core principle of democracy". On 19 December 2014 a court ordered that Dumanlı and seven others to be released due to lack of evidence. Thousands gathered outside Çağlayan Courthouse in İstanbul to show support for the detained journalists and police officials. While crowds celebrated the release of Dumanlı in the courtyard of the courthouse, they protested the arrest order for
Samanyolu TV Samanyolu TV was an international Turkish language TV station with its headquarters in Istanbul. The channel is known for its closeness to Fethullah Gülen, the leader of the Gülen movement. Samanyolu TV was previously owned by Yayıncılık A. ...
General Manager Hidayet Karaca and former police chiefs Tufan Ergüder, Ertan Erçıktı and Mustafa Kılıçaslan. Ekrem Dumanlı wrote for ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' about his arrest process and obstacles about
freedom of press Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exerc ...
in Turkey, where he said "My newspaper, '' Zaman'', and I are just the latest victims of Erdoğan's
witch hunt A witch hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. Practicing evil spells or Incantation, incantations was proscribed and punishable in early human civilizations in the ...
", blaming
Turkish president The president of Turkey, officially the president of the Republic of Türkiye (), is the head of state and head of government of Turkey. The president directs the executive branch of the national government and is the commander-in-chief of the ...
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (born 26 February 1954) is a Turkish politician who is the 12th and current president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as the 25th prime minister of Turkey, prime minister from 2003 to 2014 as part of the Jus ...
for his arrest.


References


"The Turkey- U.S. Divide"
''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'', Los Angeles, 8 June 2005.
"The 500 Most Influential Muslims"
The Book Foundation, UK, 2009.
"Turkish figures rank high on list of world's most influential Muslims"
''
Today's Zaman ''Today's Zaman'' (Zaman is Turkish for 'time' or 'age') was an English-language daily newspaper based in Turkey. Established on 17 January 2007, it was the English-language edition of the Turkish daily '' Zaman.'' ''Today's Zaman'' included dom ...
'', İstanbul, 21 November 2009. {{DEFAULTSORT:Dumanli, Ekrem Living people Gülen movement Businesspeople from Istanbul Journalists from Istanbul 1964 births Istanbul University alumni Journalists imprisoned in Turkey