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Mahir Zeynalov (IPA: ) is a Washington D.C.-based journalist, entrepreneur and a press freedom advocate. Zeynalov is currently the CEO of Globe Post Media,
a columnist for
Al Arabiya
Arabiya ( ar, العربية, transliterated: '; meaning "The Arabic One" or "The Arab One") is an international Arabic news television channel, currently based in Dubai, that is operated by the media conglomerate MBC.
The channel is a fl ...
and writing for
Huffington Post . He rose to international prominence for documenting the massive crackdown on journalists and he is best known for his works on authoritarian regimes. His work on Turkey is closely followed in the West. He is also a serial entrepreuner, owns marketing agencies, a technology firm, a publication house and a creative design and branding agency.
Career
Zeynalov first started his professional career with the
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
. He later joined
Today's Zaman and worked there until the Turkish government shut down the newspaper in 2016. He has written columns for
Al Arabiya
Arabiya ( ar, العربية, transliterated: '; meaning "The Arabic One" or "The Arab One") is an international Arabic news television channel, currently based in Dubai, that is operated by the media conglomerate MBC.
The channel is a fl ...
since 2013 and regularly contributes to Huffington Post. He is a frequent commentator on the world's major radio and TV channels, including CNN,
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, Al Jazeera, NBC and
CBC. He was twice recognized among 100 people to follow on foreign policy by the
Foreign Policy magazine.
Mashable also listed Zeynalov in among 14 "reliable sources" to follow regarding Syria. He has an expertise on electoral systems and populist autocratic regimes.
Deportation from Turkey
Zeynalov, who was born in the Soviet Union, had been subject to a massive smear campaign since
Gezi summer protests erupted in June 2013 for criticizing the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. When a corruption scandal broke out in December 2013, Erdogan sued Zeynalov for posting a news report on the graft allegations, seeking up to 6 years in prison.
Zeynalov posted a Twitter message on 25 December 2013, criticizing newly appointed police chiefs for refusing to comply with orders of prosecutors. Zeynalov's tweet was about corruption charges against public employees and a
Saudi businessman,
Yasin al-Qadi who was listed by the U.S. as a
Specially Designated Global Terrorist
A Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) is a person or entity that has been designated as such by the United States Department of State or the US Department of the Treasury. An SDGT designation is made under authority of US Executive Order ...
. Zeynalov was targeted by pro-government media in a smear campaign and immediately sued by Erdoğan.
In late January, Zeynalov was called in to the police to testify. Prosecutors have not yet dropped charges against Zeynalov.
On 4 February 2014, the Turkish government decided to deport Zeynalov. On 7 February 2014, Zeynalov and his wife surrendered to the
Istanbul
)
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code = 34000 to 34990
, area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side)
, registration_plate = 34
, blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD
, blank_i ...
police and were deported. Deputy Prime Minister
Bülent Arınç
Bülent Arınç (; born 25 May 1948) is a conservative Turkish politician. He served as the 22nd Speaker of the Parliament of Turkey from 2002 to 2007 and as a Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey between 2009 and 2015.
Early life and education
He w ...
argued that Zeynalov was working in Turkey illegally and that he was deported because his visa was expired.
Erdoğan denied during his parliamentary speech that his government deported Zeynalov. He called Zeynalov a "liar" and argued that he has no idea about a tweet posted by the journalist, although he sued Zeynalov over those tweets.
Turkish lawmaker and opposition politician
Sezgin Tanrıkulu
Sezgin Tanrıkulu is a Turkish human rights lawyer known for his defense of the rights of Kurdish citizens. He is currently serving as an MP in the Turkish Grand Assembly with the Republican People's Party (CHP).
Early life and education
Tan ...
submitted a parliamentary inquiry, demanding the government to explain on what grounds they deported Zeynalov. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Arınç acknowledged in a parliamentary response that the government deported Zeynalov, contradicting Erdoğan's previous statement, saying that his visa was expired.
Reaction
A number of international public figures, including international soccer star
Hakan Şükür
Hakan Şükür (; born 1 September 1971) is a Turkish former professional footballer who played as a striker. Nicknamed the "Bull of the Bosphorus" and ''Kral'' (king), he spent the majority of his professional career with Galatasaray, being a ...
, lawmaker
İdris Bal
İdris Bal (born 25 April 1968 in Altıntaş Kütahya) is a Turkish politician and academic who led the Democratic Progress Party (DGP) between 4 November 2014 and 31 March 2015. He serves as a Member of Parliament for Kütahya Province, havin ...
,
European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
's rapporteur on Turkey
Ria Oomen-Ruijten slammed the government for deporting Zeynalov.
Turkey's opposition leader
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (born Kemal Karabulut, 17 December 1948) is a Turkish economist, retired civil servant and social democratic politician. He is leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and has been Leader of the Main Opposition in ...
commended Zeynalov, calling him "brave" and described Erdogan as a "coward" for the deportation decision.
''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' included Zeynalov among outspoken journalists
Nazlı Ilıcak and
Mehmet Baransu, both of whom were later imprisoned, for continuing covering the corruption scandal despite pressure on the media. Government's repressive treatment of Zeynalov was widely covered on the international media, including ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', ''
The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'', ''
The Economist
''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Eco ...
'', ''
Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Ni ...
'', ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'',
Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency was esta ...
,
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
and
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
.
Many international press advocacy and human rights groups criticized the Turkish government for Zeynalov's deportation, including the