Turkish prime minister urges boycott on Dogan Group newspapers

Turkish media has lost its reliability and destroyed itself, Erdogan told the AKP members in a meeting in Ankara.

"For this reason, I say you, as the party members, should start your own campaign against the media that published false stories, and not let them enter your homes. Do not buy them," he said.

Erdogan has accused Dogan, owner of Turkey's largest media group, of using his print and broadcast empire to defame the government and the ruling AKP with reports of alleged corruption.

The government denies any corruption links.Â

Tensions have flared over the past week between the government and the country's largest independent media group, Dogan Holding, over its coverage of corruption allegations.

The issue has prompted debate about press freedom in the European Union candidate country.

The circulation of Hurriyet daily, the admiralship of the Dogan Group, exceeded 500,000 after the row between the prime minister and the media group.

HARSH CRITICISM ON ERDOGAN
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal Friday blamed Erdogan for laying embargo on Turkish press.

"The media organs, which are under the prime minister's control, will publish what he endorses, and it will not publish those he does not endorse. This is antagonism, separatism, disrespect to laws, the mentality of embargo and exclusion," Baykal told an interview with CNNTurk channel.

Nationalist opposition party MHP also criticized the Turkish prime minister.

"The democracy perception of the prime minister is only on the shelf," the party's group deputy chairman Oktay Vural said.

The chairman of the Contemporary Journalist Association (CGD), Ahmet Akbay said Erdogan's call is anachronistic, and added he is ashamed that Turkey has such a prime minister.

"It is impossible to reconcile Erdogan's call on his party members with democracy and laws," a statement issued by the Turkish Journalists' Association (TGC) said.

Photo: AA