Brende visited the Turkish capital for talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmned Davutoglu and the country’s foreign minister and interior minister on Tuesday.
– What happened on Sunday is worrisome. We believe that the press and the arrest of journalists is something the government must take the greatest possible seriousness, says Brende said.
27 people, among them Chief Editor of Turkey’s largest newspaper Zaman, was arrested on Sunday in what is perceived as a new operation against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s political opponents and opposition media.
Brende says Norway has long been concerned about the press and freedom of expression in general in Turkey. The incident on Sunday has led to strong reaction also from the EU.
WSJ writes after the latest arrests that Turkey’s president Erdogan takes his country a step closer to authoritarianism.