U.S. condemns Turkey's arrest of journalists

By Rudy Takala, Rudy Takala

Published December 20, 2015

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The State Department is condemning Turkey's arrest of two journalists in the country.

"The investigation, criminal charges, and arrest raise serious concerns about the Turkish government's commitment to the fundamental principle of media freedom," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a Friday statement. "These events are only the latest in a series of judicial and law enforcement actions taken under questionable circumstances against Turkish media outlets critical of the government."

The statement concluded by calling "on Turkish authorities to ensure that all individuals and organizations — including but not limited to the media — are free to voice a full range of opinions and criticism, in accordance with Turkey's constitutional guarantees of media freedom and freedom of expression."