Turkish media boss quits after email‘scam’ fuels press freedom fears

ANKARA: The head of one of Turkey´s largest media groups, Dogan Media, quit on Friday after hackers released what they said were emails showing him yielding to editorial pressure from members of President Tayyip Erdogan´s inner circle.

In a statement announcing his resignation, Mehmet Ali Yalcindag denied that the emails leaked on social media this week by the leftist RedHack group had come from him, and vowed to take legal action.

He described the act as an "ugly scam". The resignation of the head of a group whose titles include leading newspaper Hurriyet, broadcaster CNN Turk and mainstream television channel Kanal D, comes amid concern about pressure on the media in Turkey, particularly since emergency rule imposed after a failed July coup, gave the authorities sweeping powers.

More than 100 journalists have been detained since July 15, when soldiers commandeered tanks and fighter jets in a bid to seize power, on suspicion of links to the network blamed for the coup.