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Police, using tear gas and water cannons, on Friday raided the headquarters of Turkey's largest-circulation newspaper, hours after a court placed it under the management of trustees, reports  New York Times citing a local newspaper. 

The move against the paper, which is linked to an opposition cleric, heightened concerns over deteriorating press freedoms in the country.

The court action against Zaman newspaper was brought by a public prosecutor and came amid an intensified government campaign against the moderate Islamic movement led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. It accuses the movement of attempting to bring down the government.

Taking Turkish opposition newspaper under government’s supervision caused the outrage of the US State Department and human rights organizations.

“By lashing out and seeking to rein in critical voices, President Erdogan’s government is steamrolling over human rights,” said Andrew Gardner from Amnesty International’s Turkey.