ANKARA: Turkey has so far detained 573 people for social media posts and protests criticising its military offensive in Syria, the government said on Monday.
The crackdown, which has extended to the national medical association, has deepened concerns about free speech under President Tayyip Erdogan, who has criticised opponents of the military intervention as "traitors".
Turkey last month launched an air and ground offensive, dubbed Operation Olive Branch, against the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria?s northwestern Afrin region. Authorities have repeatedly warned they would prosecute those opposing, criticising or misrepresenting the incursion."Since the start of Operation Olive Branch, 449 people have been detained for spreading terrorist propaganda on social media and 124 people detained for taking part in protest action," the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
02-06-2018, 05:40 AM
Turkey detains 600 for opposing Syrian offensive
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