Global reactions to investigations into TÜSİAD: 'They were questioned after criticizing the government'

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International media outlets have pointed out that the investigations into TÜSİAD Board Chairman Orhan Turan and TÜSİAD High Advisory Council President Ömer Aras target businesspeople who criticize the government's economic policies. AP and ABC News interpreted the detention of businesspeople following their criticism of the government as part of a broader strategy to silence dissenting voices. Erdoğan's statement, ''You may miss the old Turkey, but you will know your place in the new Turkey,'' was presented as an expression symbolizing the government's increasing control over the business world and its authoritarian tendencies.

Bloomberg addressed the expansion of the investigations as a continuation of the pressures on press freedom and the opposition in Turkey. According to Bloomberg, the fact that opposition political figures such as Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu are also facing similar investigations shows that this process is not limited to the business world. Reports in the foreign press also included criticisms of the investigations by the European Parliament and human rights organizations.

AP: TWO BUSINESS LEADERS IN TURKEY QUESTIONED AFTER CRITICIZING THE GOVERNMENT

The US news agency Associated Press (AP) suggested that Turkey is experiencing a wave of investigations and arrests targeting opposition figures. AP noted that the initiation of judicial proceedings against two prominent names from TÜSİAD came after these operations.

The AP report stated the following:

''Prosecutors questioned two Turkish businesspeople who made harsh criticisms of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government during a period when pressure on dissenting voices is intensifying.

The accusations against the two individuals came after they criticized the government's economic policies last week, following a series of legal actions against opposition figures, including journalists.''

AP also included the following statements by Erdoğan in its report:

''You may miss the old Turkey, but you will know your place in the new Turkey... If you are a business association, you will learn to act like a business association. You will not provoke the public, you will not provoke the state's institutions, and you will not try to pressure the judiciary.''

The report continued with these expressions:

''... Meanwhile, Istanbul's popular mayor and a potential candidate against Erdoğan in future elections, Ekrem İmamoğlu, has faced multiple investigations opened against him after criticizing investigations targeting opposition-led municipalities.

Government officials argue that the courts operate independently and reject claims that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated.''

REUTERS: ERDOĞAN ACCUSED HIGH-LEVEL BUSINESS CIRCLES OF POLITICAL INTERFERENCE

Stating that opposition leaders have faced a 'wave of arrests, detentions, and investigations' in the last few months, Reuters used the following expressions regarding the investigations:

''Critics of the operations argue that the arrests aim to silence opponents and weaken the election hopes of Erdoğan's rivals. The government denies this accusation and states that the judiciary is independent.''

BLOOMBERG: BUSINESS GROUP INVESTIGATION EXPANDED AS ERDOĞAN JOINS THE DEBATE

In the report by the US-based news organization Bloomberg, it was argued that 'pressure is being applied to opponents.' Bloomberg mentioned in its report that the European Parliament condemned the investigations and that human rights organizations reacted.

The report used the following expressions:

''Turkey is applying pressure on opposition figures and journalists... Turkish prosecutors expanded the investigation after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan escalated the debate over TÜSİAD, an influential business group that criticized the crackdown on journalists and opposition figures.

Turkish authorities have recently launched a series of arrests and investigations targeting politicians, journalists, and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. This situation has led to criticism from rights advocacy groups and condemnations from the European Parliament.''

ABC NEWS: TWO BUSINESS LEADERS IN TURKEY QUESTIONED AFTER CRITICIZING THE GOVERNMENT

The US broadcaster ABC News reminded that the arrests came after the businesspeople's criticisms of the government. ABC News' report also included Erdoğan's words regarding TÜSİAD 'overstepping its bounds.'

The ABC News report noted the following:

''Prosecutors questioned two Turkish businesspeople who made harsh criticisms of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government during a period when pressure on dissenting voices is intensifying.

The accusations came after the two businesspeople criticized the government's economic policies last week. Just before this investigation, a series of legal actions had been initiated against opposition figures, including journalists. A few hours before the investigation into the two individuals, Erdoğan had accused TÜSİAD of overstepping its bounds.''