Mahir Zeynalov

Zeynalov first started his professional career with the Los Angeles Times. 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 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, Al Jazeera, NBC and CBC. He was twice recognized among 100 people to follow on foreign policy by the Foreign Policy magazine.{{cite news|title=A who's who of the foreign-policy Twitterverse in 2013 |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/08/13/the_fp_twitterati_100_2013}}{{cite news|title=A who's who of the foreign-policy Twitterverse in 2012 |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/twitterati100}} Mashable also listed Zeynalov in among 14 "reliable sources" to follow regarding Syria.{{cite news|title=14 Reliable Sources to Follow on Twitter for Syria News |url=http://mashable.com/2013/08/29/twitter-news-syria/}} He has an expertise on electoral systems and populist autocratic regimes.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobepost.com/2017/11/12/first-wave-autocracy/|title=The First Wave of Autocracy – Democracy in Decline|last=Zeynalov|first=Mahir|date=12 November 2017|work=The Globe Post|access-date=2018-05-03|language=en-US}}

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 six years in prison.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

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. Zeynalov was targeted by pro-government media in a smear campaign{{cite news|title=Cemaat yazarından ihanet dolu tweetler!|url=http://www.sabah.com.tr/Gundem/2013/12/26/cemaat-yazarindan-ihanet-dolu-tweetler}} and immediately sued by Erdoğan.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

In late January, Zeynalov was called in to the police to testify.{{cite news|title=Today's Zaman journalist dismisses charges in testimony|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/news-338211-todays-zaman-journalist-dismisses-charges-in-testimony.html|access-date=20 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309062553/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-338211-todays-zaman-journalist-dismisses-charges-in-testimony.html|archive-date=9 March 2014|url-status=dead}} Prosecutors have not yet dropped charges against Zeynalov.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

On 4 February 2014, the Turkish government decided to deport Zeynalov. On 7 February 2014, Zeynalov and his wife surrendered to the Istanbul police and were deported. Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç argued that Zeynalov was working in Turkey illegally and that he was deported because his visa was expired.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

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.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

Turkish lawmaker and opposition politician Sezgin Tanrıkulu 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.{{cite news|title=Arınç: Sınır Dışı Edilen Gazeteciye Basın Kartı Verilmedi|url=http://www.sondakika.com/haber/haber-arinc-sinir-disi-edilen-gazeteciye-basin-karti-5834097/}}

A number of international public figures, including international soccer star Hakan Şükür,{{cite news|title=Zeynalov'un sınırdışı edilmesine tepki|url=http://www.cihan.com.tr/news/Zeynalov-un-sinirdisi-edilmesine-tepki_2622-CHMTM1MjYyMi8xMDA1|access-date=21 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821200447/http://www.cihan.com.tr/news/Zeynalov-un-sinirdisi-edilmesine-tepki_2622-CHMTM1MjYyMi8xMDA1|archive-date=21 August 2014|url-status=dead}} lawmaker İdris Bal, European Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey Ria Oomen-Ruijten{{cite news|title=Oomen-Ruijten cites media freedom concerns after Zeynalov's deportation|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/_oomen-ruijten-cites-media-freedom-concerns-after-zeynalovs-deportation_338798.html|access-date=21 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821180144/http://www.todayszaman.com/_oomen-ruijten-cites-media-freedom-concerns-after-zeynalovs-deportation_338798.html|archive-date=21 August 2014|url-status=dead}} slammed the government for deporting Zeynalov.

Turkey's opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu commended Zeynalov, calling him "brave" and described Erdogan as a "coward" for the deportation decision.{{cite news|title=Opposition slams gov't for deporting Azerbaijani reporter|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/_opposition-slams-govt-for-deporting-azerbaijani-reporter_338834.html|access-date=21 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821193048/http://www.todayszaman.com/_opposition-slams-govt-for-deporting-azerbaijani-reporter_338834.html|archive-date=21 August 2014|url-status=dead}}

The New York Times 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.{{cite news|title=In Scandal, Turkey's Leaders May Be Losing Their Tight Grip on News Media|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/12/world/europe/in-scandal-turkeys-leaders-may-be-losing-their-tight-grip-on-news-media.html?_r=0}} Government's repressive treatment of Zeynalov was widely covered on the international media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Financial Times, The New Yorker, Reuters, Associated Press and BBC.

Many international press advocacy and human rights groups criticized the Turkish government for Zeynalov's deportation, including the Committee to Protect Journalists,{{cite news|title=CPJ criticizes Turkish gov't over Zeynalov's deportation|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/_cpj-calls-on-gul-to-veto-internet-bill-criticizes-govt-over-zeynalovs-deportation_338747.html|access-date=21 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821180103/http://www.todayszaman.com/_cpj-calls-on-gul-to-veto-internet-bill-criticizes-govt-over-zeynalovs-deportation_338747.html|archive-date=21 August 2014|url-status=dead}} the Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, OSCE, International Press Institute, European Parliament, Reporters Without Borders, Union of German Journalists, Russian Union of Journalists,{{cite news|title=Int'l press organizations rally behind deported Today's Zaman journalist|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/_intl-press-organizations-rally-behind-deported-todays-zaman-journalist_338840.html|access-date=21 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821190607/http://www.todayszaman.com/_intl-press-organizations-rally-behind-deported-todays-zaman-journalist_338840.html|archive-date=21 August 2014|url-status=dead}} Turkish Journalists Association, Media Ethics Council and Contemporary Journalists Association.{{cite news|title=Decision to deport journalist anti-democratic, say journalists' associations|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/_decision-to-deport-journalist-anti-democratic-say-journalists-associations_338832.html|access-date=21 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821192735/http://www.todayszaman.com/_decision-to-deport-journalist-anti-democratic-say-journalists-associations_338832.html|archive-date=21 August 2014|url-status=dead}}

While the French government criticized the Zeynalov's deportation, the US State Department described the pressure on Zeynalov as "unsettling."{{cite news|title=US calls on Turkey to uphold fundamental freedoms after Zeynalov's deportation|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/news-338866-us-calls-on-turkey-to-uphold-fundamental-freedoms-after-zeynalovs-deportation.html|access-date=21 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821194452/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-338866-us-calls-on-turkey-to-uphold-fundamental-freedoms-after-zeynalovs-deportation.html|archive-date=21 August 2014|url-status=dead}}

Two weeks after the failed coup attempt in Turkey on 15 July, Mahir Zeynalov started documenting the arrest of journalists.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/30/turkey-journalists-arrest-nation-shock-coup|title='Young, old, conservative, liberal': Turkey in shock over journalists' arrest|last=Graham-Harrison|first=Emma|date=30 July 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=2016-11-06}} He shared handcuffed photos of journalists as they were escorted to the prison, and added a brief message about their career. The chronicling of these journalists quickly went viral across the world. It caused such an outrage all around the world that CNN and Al Jazeera extensively covered Zeynalov's work.{{Citation|title=The names and faces of Turkey's media crackdown – CNN Video|url=http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/08/02/intv-michael-holmes-mahir-zeynalov-turkey-journalism.cnn|accessdate=2016-11-06}} His work about the arrest of journalists made into front pages of hundreds of international newspapers the next day.

In September 2016, Twitter informed Zeynalov that they shut down his Turkish account within Turkey and that they received a separate Turkish court decision to block access to his another account, in which he is tweeting in English. He has a quarter million followers combined.

Zeynalov's readers in the West launched a campaign to support the journalist against Twitter, forcing the social media giant to cave in.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/twitter-refuses-to-block-account-of-noted-turkish-journalist/|title=Twitter Refuses to Block Account of Noted Turkish Journalist|newspaper=Motherboard|language=en-us|access-date=2016-11-06}} Twitter later announced that it won't block Zeynalov's English-language account. Washington Post published an editorial about this incident, urging Twitter not to bow to pressure by "a tyrant"—Erdogan.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/twitter-shouldnt-let-itself-become-a-tool-for-tyrants/2016/10/06/236b5684-8a65-11e6-b24f-a7f89eb68887_story.html|title=Twitter shouldn't let itself become a tool for tyrants |author=Editorial Board|date=6 October 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|access-date=2016-11-06}}

In 2016, Zeynalov co-founded{{Cite web |url=https://www.globepostmedia.com/our-team-2/ |title=Out Team – Globe Post Media |website=GP Media Group |access-date=2020-09-07}} Globe Post Media in the United States. It is an umbrella organization for multiple single-subject news outlets, of which The Globe Post is the flagship.{{Cite web |url=https://www.globepostmedia.com/about/ |title=About – Globe Post Media |website=GP Media Group |access-date=2020-09-07}}

In 2018, MAESTRO Media Group bought Globe Post Media. Zeynalov remained as CEO.

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Category:Turkish journalists

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)