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Özgürlükçü Demokrasi raided, several detained

The central office of the Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district was raided by police in the first hours of 28 March, with several print workers being detained.

There were also reports that the Turkish banking watchdog the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) appointed trustees to the newspaper.

The police arrived at Özgürlükçü Demokrasi a little past midnight and searched the premises until 3 am. Lawyers who went to the newspaper's office were met by TMSF officials in the morning.

A TMSF official told lawyers on the site that government-appointed trustees had been assigned to the company which publishes Özgürlükçü Demokrasi -- Engin Publishing Print Inc. -- and the Gün Printing Advertising Film and Publishing Inc. -- which publishes the newspaper's print version. The official instructed the lawyers to find out more details about the take-over through the TMSF, which has not yet made any official statements.

Several journalists and print workers were detained but information on the names, identities and the number of those detained wasn't immediately available.