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Turkish authorities seized control of the media company that owns the country's best-selling Zaman newspaper, a one-time supporter of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that became one of his fiercest critics.
An Istanbul court appointed a trustee on Friday to oversee the company, Feza Gazetecilik AS, after a request from the prosecutor's office, a state-run news agency reported without giving more details. The prosecutor's office refused to comment on details of the seizure when reached by phone.
Police on Friday dispersed protesters who had gathered outside the Istanbul headquarters before breaking down a gate and entering the building to escort the court-appointed managers and evict newspaper workers. On Saturday, police erected fences and used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters who again gathered outside the building.