But such state criminality is hardly tenable in a country where an independent, critical media supposedly operates. The courageous, critical reporting in recent years by Turkish newspapers and television outlets has exposed the violations committed by the Erdogan regime in Syria's dirty war.
And that is why Erdogan is now shuttering this media with an iron fist, under the utterly fabricated but ironical charges of these outlets allegedly "supporting terrorism."
Erdogan is getting away with this brutal conduct largely because he is being indulged by Washington, the European Union and the US-led NATO military alliance, of which Turkey is a member.
These Western institutions are all equally complicit in Turkey's state-sponsored terrorism against Syria. So, as the Erdogan regime gags the Turkish media, his Western allies are obliged to keep their mouths shut too.
On the latest newspaper seizure, the US State Department issued a trite statement expressing concern. "We see this as the latest in a series of troubling judicial and law enforcement actions taken by the Turkish government targeting media outlets and others critical of it," said US spokesman John Kirby.
One can only imagine how different Washington's response would be if, say, similar events took place in Moscow. There would be wall-to-wall Western media coverage denouncing Vladimir Putin as a dictator.
Western hypocrisy and double-think reaches a crescendo as the European Union leaders meet with Erdogan's officials in the coming days over the refugee crisis.
European Council President Donald Tusk only days ago praised Turkey as a partner in stemming the flow of refugees into Greece, and the EU is planning to grant Erdogan's regime $3.4 billion in taxpayers' money to help accommodate more migrants on its territory.
You can't get more absurd than that. EU leaders pander to Turkey after the latter has played a leading role in destabilizing Syria and triggering the refugee crisis. And when this same regime cracks down on independent media exposing its criminal collusion with terrorism, the EU says or does nothing of importance.
Turkey is embracing fascist dictatorship; and Washington and its European minions are smitten by the same embrace.
Only last week, the French government censured Le Monde newspaper for reports on France's "secret war" in Libya.
Erdogan's regime is marching all over democratic rights as Turkish media succumbs to the jackboot of dictatorship. Not far behind and in lockstep are Washington and the European Union. Their cynical silence is their indictment.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
3
2
2
