Recep Tayyip Erdogan is taking on supporters of the cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former ally Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed international criticism of raids on media organizations in the country, telling the EU 'keep your opinions to yourselves.' The 28-member bloc has criticized yesterday's police raids, which targeted a newspaper and a television station affiliated with the US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen - a one-time ally of President Erdogan who has turned into one of his biggest critics. More than two dozen people, including a chief editor, journalists, television producers and scriptwriters, were detained in Sunday's raids, that included the Istanbul headquarters of Zaman newspaper and Samanyolu TV.
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Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he doesn't care if the crackdown affects his country's longstanding bid to join the 28-member bloc
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More than two dozen people, including a chief editor, journalists, television producers and scriptwriters, were detained yesterday in Istanbul
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Operation targeted Zaman newspaper and Samanyolu television station
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Major escalation in president's battle with former ally Fethullah Gulen
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He claims US-based cleric's network is conspiring to topple him
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Detained TV executive said: 'This is a shameful sight for Turkey'
Turkish police launched a sweeping operation to arrest supporters of President Tayyip Erdogan's rival, @placeholder-exiled imam Fethullah Gulen