At the Daily Caller, Tülin Daloglu, the former Washington columnist for Habertürk, described how she was sacked — and wonders whether her criticisms of the Erdogan government played a role:
On April 12, I saw Turkish Prime Minister’s spokesman in the lobby of the Willard Hotel, where the Turkish delegation was staying. Mr. Erdogan was in Washington to attend President Obama’s nuclear summit. And I had my regular weekly column at the paper on that day, under the headline, “The Cost of Obsessing with Israel.”
“Today, you wrote an article that was strongly critical of the prime minister,” the spokesman said. “No Israeli journalist criticizes her prime minister like you do. Why did you do that? It won’t be good for you.” I was surprised at his reaction, and responded, “I have full respect for freedom of speech and respect yours as well.”
Of late, Turkish journalists who slam the government have a habit of waking up unemployed — or worse.
What had Daloglu reported that upset the powers that be?
Erdogan is complaining about West’s double standards: he is questioning the ones that are taking a firm position against Iran’s nuclear program while Israel already has the capability. It’s, however, worth noting that he is not being critical of India’s or Pakistan’s capabilities. Just like Israel, they both have nuclear weapons and they are both non-signatories to the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty.
A journalist who challenges inconsistencies in her community’s conventional wisdoms — what’s not to like?
Here’s hoping she lands on her feet.
