Ahmet Altan Arrested

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Former Taraf daily newspaper Editor-in-Chief Ahmet Altan, who was detained as part of the investigation launched into “media leg of the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ)” and then released, has been arrested.

Altan was arrested on charges of “Attempting to annihilate the Republic of Turkey or trying to prevent it from doing its duty and being a member of a terror organization”.

Charge: Delivering subliminal message

Attorney Veysel Ok representing them had said the reason for the detention was the words they used and delivered subliminal messages on the program "Özgür Düşünce" broadcasted on Can Erzincan TV on July 14.

It was alleged that Ahmet Altan and Mehmet Altan used phrases with Nazlı Ilıcak, who has been arrested as part of the "FETÖ (Fethullahist Terror Organization) investigation" giving the impression that they already knew about the coup.

About Ahmet Altan

Ahmet Hüsrev Altan (born 1950) is a Turkish journalist and author. A working journalist for more than twenty years, he has served in all stages of the profession, from being a night shift reporter to editor in chief in various newspapers.

In addition to having written columns in several Turkish newspapers, including Hürriyet, Milliyet and Radikal, Altan has produced news programming for television.
He was fired from Milliyet after writing a column on 17 April 1995 titled "Atakurd", which presented an alternate history of Turkey.

In 2007 he became the founding editor in chief and lead columnist of Taraf, a daily Turkish newspaper, and remained in the position until his resignation in December 2012.
In September 2008 when Altan published an article titled "Oh, My Brother" dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, he was charged under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code for "denigrating Turkishness". The judicial claim was initiated by the far-right "Great Union Party."

On December 14, 2012, Ahmet Altan, who was founding editor-in-chief of the daily Taraf since 2007, resigned from his post. (HK/TK)