Much international media coverage of the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been driven by explosive details reported in a small number of Turkish pro-government news outlets.
Unverified reports in flagship newspapers Sabah and Yeni Safak have informed coverage on the Khashoggi case in the New York Times and the Washington Post. There has also been a steady stream of leaks from unnamed Turkish official sources to global media outlets.
On 17 October, a New York Times report included a full-paragraph disclaimer warning that Turkish media outlets are “either government-controlled or owned by pro-government business executives”. It added that “censors are often present in newsrooms, and reporters and editors take close instructions from officials in the presidency”.
The case of Khashoggi has gripped local and international media coverage since he went missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October. Saudi officials deny that he was killed.
What are the leaks?
Yeni Safak on 17 October carried a front-page headline story reporting it had accessed audio footage of Khashoggi’s “killing”.
It said the audio revealed that the victim’s fingers were cut off before he was beheaded and dismembered in the consulate building. Saudi Consul General Mohammed al-Otaibi could be heard asking for the operation to be done elsewhere, but he was told to “shut up, if you want to live”, Yeni Safak reported.
On the same day, the New York Times quoted a “senior Turkish official” making the same allegation.
This followed other gruesome details reported by Yeni Safak and Sabah in previous days, similarly citing “Turkish official sources”.
On 10 October, the front-page of Sabah published the alleged identities and photos of what it called a “15-man assassination team” that entered Turkey to kill Khashoggi. It said the group included special forces officers, intelligence officials and a forensics expert.
On 13 October, Sabah alleged that Khashoggi recorded the moment of his killing on his Apple Watch, saved to his iPhone and Apple’s cloud service. CNN later reported that experts dismissed this possibility, while the Apple website indicates that a cellular connection is not available for its smartwatches Turkey.
What are Sabah and Yeni Safak?
Sabah and Yeni Safak are perhaps the two major newspapers closest to the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In recent years they have provided blanket uncritical coverage of Erdogan’s activities, supporting him in election and referendum campaigns. They also employ a roster of prominent columnists robustly backing the government, firing all remaining sceptical voices.
Yeni Safak and Sabah both feature a steady diet of conspiracy theories about alleged global campaigns against Turkey and Erdogan.
However, on 18 October an item on the front page of Yeni Safak declared: “The world is talking about Yeni Safak.” The article listed examples of international print and broadcast media citing Yeni Safak in their reporting.
Who owns them?
Along with the broadcasters ATV and A Haber, Sabah is part of Turkuvaz Medya, which also owns a number of smaller newspapers.
Since 2013, Turkuvaz Medya has been owned by Zirve Holding, part of Kalyon Group. It was previously owned by Calik Holding under current Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, Erdogan’s son-in-law. Both Calik and Kalyon have won major contracts for Turkish infrastructure projects in recent years, including in energy and transport.
Yeni Safak has been owned since 1997 by the Albayrak Group (unrelated to Berat Albayrak). Since July 2012 it has been edited by Ibrahim Karagul.
Karagul is a high-profile figure often photographed among the journalists on the presidential jet during Erdogan’s trips abroad. He has gained a reputation for columns voicing extraordinary allegations about plots targeting Erdogan’s leadership of the Islamic world.
Fake news?
Both Sabah and Yeni Safak have been accused of publishing fabricated news in the past.
During anti-government Gezi protests in 2013, Yeni Safak published an “interview” in which US linguist and activist Noam Chomsky staunchly defended Erdogan. It later released what it said was the original English-language correspondence, which included highly suspect English grammar. Chomsky subsequently said the published interview “contained fabrications and is not an accurate or faithful translation of Professor Chomsky’s written responses”.
Also during the 2013 protests, both Sabah and Yeni Safak followed fellow pro-government newspaper Star in reporting explosive allegations from a young mother about mass-harassment from protesters.
The woman said a gang of 70 half-naked men wearing leather pants urinated on her and her child in the middle of an Istanbul street.
She was later revealed to be the daughter-in-law of a municipal mayor from the ruling Justice and Development Party. Officials promised footage of the incident would be made public, but it never was.
Reporters and columnists who initially spread the story later admitted that it was fabricated.
Such cases have been brought up by government critics in Turkey amid the recent Khashoggi revelations.
Despite mounting calls for Turkey to share the evidence reported, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on 19 October that Ankara had not shared any audio recordings relating to the Khashoggi case with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo or any US official.
Source: BBC Monitoring 19 Oct 18
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