Human Rights Watch reported that the Turkish government last week shut down 23 radio stations and 16 television channels under the State of Emergency law. All together, 131 newspapers, news agencies, publishers, television, and radio stations were forced to close July 27, in a backlash from the conservative government after the recent failed military coup. “The government crackdown is on media outlets and journalists it accuses of being linked to the Fethullah Gülen movement, which it blames for the foiled military coup,” said Emma Sinclair-Webb, Turkey director at Human Rights Watch. “In the absence of any evidence of their role or participation in the violent attempt to overthrow the government, we strongly condemn this accelerated assault on the media, which further undermines Turkey’s democratic credentials.” The government also arrested many individual journalists, according to the group.