US troubled' by Turkish authorities' shutting down of free press

Recently, the Turkish government has taken a series of government steps against the press

WASHINGTON, DC: The White House on Thursday criticised Turkish authorities' regulation of the media after a series of government steps against the press, including the seizure of Zaman, the country's top-selling newspaper.

White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said the United States is "troubled" by Turkish government officials acting to "shut down and interfere with editorial operations" of media outlets.

"You should not prompt changes to the newsroom or to a news organisation's editorial policies," he told the daily press briefing.

"We call on the Turkish government to ensure full respect for due process and equal treatment under the law, and in a democratic society, critical opinions should be encouraged not silenced," he said.