Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised the West for attempting to give Turkey “lessons in democracy” amid increasing criticism from the U.S. and Europe that Turkey is suppressing press freedoms under his regime. “Those who attempt to give us lessons in democracy and human rights must first contemplate their own shame,” Erdogan said. Middleeasteye.net reports: His comments came after US President Barack Obama said Turkey’s approach towards the media was taking it “down a path that would be very troubling”. Erdogan’s government has recently seized control of major opposition media groups and newspapers while also bringing legal cases against hundreds of journalists, lawmakers, academics, lawyers and NGOs. Two journalists from the leading opposition daily Cumhuriyet face life in prison after being charged with revealing state secrets over a story accusing the government of seeking to illicitly deliver arms to rebels in Syria. In the recent crackdown, Turkish authorities have seized control of opposition daily Zaman, Koza Ipek Holding, which owns the Cihan News Agency, Millet group and Bugun newspaper, and the pro-Kurdish IMC TV station. Erdogan met with Obama in Washington last week but said the US president had not raised the media issue in talks and added he was “saddened” [...]