Turkey's Hurriyet appoints new editor-in-chief

Hurriyet Gazetecilik ve Matbaacilik

02/03/2017 05:54

ISTANBUL, March 2 (Reuters) - Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper 
has named a new editor-in-chief, it said late on Wednesday, a 
day after strong criticism of the prominent daily by President 
Tayyip Erdogan for a story suggesting discord between the 
government and the army. 
    In a statement to the Istanbul stock exchange, Hurriyet 
 HURGZ.IS  said it had decided to appoint veteran journalist 
Fikret Bila as editor and as a member of its executive board. 
    He replaced Sedat Ergin, the paper said in a brief 
statement, without giving a reason. 
    Hurriyet is part of the Dogan Holding  DOHOL.IS  
conglomerate, whose founder was summoned on Wednesday to appear 
in court over fuel smuggling accusations. 
    Aydin Dogan, 80, who ran the media-to-energy conglomerate 
until 2010 and is now honorary chairman, is a prominent figure 
in Turkey's secular establishment and has long had strained ties 
with Erdogan and the ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party. 
    His group faces charges it ran a fuel-smuggling ring a 
decade ago and Dogan and Isbank's  ISCTR.IS  Ersin Ozince, 64, 
face up to 24-1/2 years in prison on charges of setting up a 
criminal gang, smuggling and fraud.  
    This is the first time, however, that Dogan has been 
summoned to court in the case, rather than being represented by 
his lawyer. Dogan and Ozince have denied any wrongdoing. 
    Hurriyet drew fire for a Feb. 25 story saying, among other 
things, that the government had not sought the opinion of the 
army before lifting a ban on women wearing the headscarf - a 
sign of Islamic piety - in the military.  
    The headline was seen as implying discord between the army 
and government - a matter of some sensitivity after a failed 
coup attempt last July by rogue officers - and was criticised by 
Erdogan on Tuesday.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL5N1GD4UP     
 
 (Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) 
 ((daren.butler@tr.com; +90-212-350 7053; Reuters Messaging: 
daren.butler.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: TURKEY MEDIA/HURRIYET GAZETE