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Turkish PM Erdogan threatens to sue Times over letter
Turkey's prime minister threatens legal action against a UK newspaper for publishing an open letter criticising his handling of recent protests.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Friday threatened to sue the Times of London for publishing an open letter by a group of celebrities, academics and others criticizing his handling of anti-government protests.
Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon and Ben Kingsley were among those who signed the letter that accused Erdogan's government this week of "dictatorial rule" and of causing the deaths of five protesters who died after clashes with police.
"The press wants to throw mud to see if it sticks. The Times is renting out its own pages for money," Erdogan told reporters in comments broadcast live by NTV channel. "This is the Times' failing. We will pursue legal channels regarding the Times."
Protesters demanded Erdogan resign as they staged the country's fiercest anti-government demonstrations in decades in Istanbul, Ankara and other major cities beginning in late May.
Many accused Erdogan of adopting an authoritarian tilt or greater religious conservatism after his Islamist-rooted AK Party won the last three elections, increasing its share of the vote each time.
Erdogan has dismissed the protesters as "looters" and "terrorists" and accused foreign governments and media outlets of stoking the civil disturbances.
Erdogan said the signatories of the letter, taken out as an full-page advertisement in the Times, had "rented out their thoughts" and did not genuinely support democracy.
"If they truly believed in democracy, they couldn't have displayed such a lack of character to call the leader of a party that won 50 percent of the vote a dictator," Erdogan said.
The letter also accused Erdogan of undermining the principles of a free press for jailing dozens of journalists in recent years.
The Times had no immediate comment on Erdogan's remarks.
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Erdogan is as much a dictator as Saddam Hussein was, as much as Gaddafi was, and as much as Bashar al Assad is. His actions against his people, not to mention the crimes against humanity towards the Kurds, place him in the same category as the above. So there is nothing unique about him suing the Times of London. These people do not stand criticism but this only shows that the EUROPEANS should never accept Turkey into the EU. He and his Islamist friends can take a running jump and the sooner the people get rid of him and his Islamists the sooner the world can regain some peace and tranquillity.
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They are all the same, when it all fails blame the media. The Media, no matter where it is reports the news of the day unless it is controlled by the government of the day. Erdogan can sensor his local media but it is going to be a bit out of his league to try sensor foreign media. Citizens are not afraid to express their dissatisfaction of their government anymore. The other Middle East countries like Egypt and Syria are finding that out the hard way.
Emmanuel Mallia •
He wants to be a European without credentials. Turkey part of the EU ???
Joseph MELI •
Furthermore,Erdogan should learn from Egypt's Morsi about democracy?As if this alleged and ineffective democratic governance is abused the people will rebel.
Joseph MELI •
I think Erdogan should re-visit Turkey's application to join the EU as this insitution prides itself on freedom of expression and speech unlike the secular and citizen-restrictive/oppressed country over which he presides(whose newspapers would never allow this comment).In any event ,threats never buttered any parsnips as they say in East Anglia(UK)
