An Istanbul court on Friday ordered into administration a Turkish daily newspaper that is sharply critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reports said, amid growing alarm over freedom of expression in the country.

The Zaman newspaper, closely linked to Erdogan's arch-foe the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, was ordered into administration by the court on the request of Istanbul prosecutors, the state-run Anatolia news agency said. The decision means the court will appoint new managers to run the newspaper.