Turkish judge stays order barring journalists from police buildings

ISTANBUL, Turkey, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A Turkish court in Istanbul issued a temporary block of a ban on journalists entering police department buildings, a journalist organization said.

The Turkish Association of Journalists said Friday the court gave the National Police Department seven days to explain why it imposed the ban, and told police the ban may not be enforced, Today's Zaman said.

The directive was issued after shake-ups in police departments across the country in which hundreds of police chiefs were removed from their posts following a police-initiated corruption investigation by the government.

The directive prompted criticism by journalists and others who said the ban was a censorship attempt, Today's Zaman said.

The association said Friday the court noted in its order the "negative impacts" the ban would have on media, information-sharing and freedom of movement.