U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Friday, January 22 strongly criticized Turkey for failing to set the right "example" on freedom of expression, following the imprisonment of journalists and investigation of academics who criticized government policy, AFP reports.

"When the media are intimidated or imprisoned for critical reporting... and more than 1,000 academics are accused of treason simply by signing a petition, that's not the kind of example that needs to be set," Biden said at a meeting with civil society representatives in Istanbul.