Erdogan threatens to expel 10 Western envoys – EURACTIV.com

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to expel the United States, Germany and eight other Western ambassadors on Thursday (October 21) because they have issued a rare joint statement in support of a Imprisoned civil society leaders.

Paris-born philanthropist and activist Osman Kavala (Osman Kavala), 64 years old, has not been convicted since 2017, and has become a symbol of Erdogan’s increasing intolerance to dissidents in the eyes of critics.

On Monday, the 10 ambassadors issued a very unusual joint statement-widely circulated on their Turkish social media accounts-saying that Kavala’s continued detention “cast a shadow on Turkey.”

Erdogan told reporters in comments made by the Turkish media: “I told our foreign minister that we cannot lavishly receive them in our country.”

Kavala faces a series of alternating charges related to anti-government protests in 2013 and the failed military coup in 2016.

The United States, Germany, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden called for “a fair and prompt resolution of the (Kavala) case” in their statements.

When Erdogan talked to Turkish reporters on the flight back from his trip to Africa, his tone appeared angry.

“Is it within your scope to teach Turkey like this? Who are you?” He asked in a comment posted by NTV private broadcaster.

Soon after Erdogan commented on the new wave of tensions between Turkey and the West, the Turkish lira fell to a record low against the U.S. dollar.

‘conspiracy’

When FATF, the global financial misconduct regulator, was threatened by surveillance because of Turkey’s failure to properly combat money laundering and terrorist financing, diplomatic frictions became more complicated.

Turkey has joined the “grey list” of countries including Syria, South Sudan and Yemen.

Erdogan vigorously opposed this designation, introducing new legislation that ostensibly aimed at combating terrorist networks — but critics said that these legislation ultimately targeted Turkish NGOs that promote pro-Kurdish causes and human rights.

The Turkish president did not immediately comment on the listing.

But the escalation of the situation may cast a shadow over the G20 summit in Rome next week, where Erdogan hopes to meet with US President Joe Biden.

The relationship between the two leaders is cold, which is in stark contrast to Erdogan’s personal friendship with former US President Donald Trump, who has protected Turkey from sanctions for many years.

During the planned rotation of the chief U.S. envoy to Ankara, U.S. ambassador David Satterfield may be expelled.

New sanctions?

Although not known internationally, Kavala has become a symbol of supporters of Erdogan’s total suppression launched after the attempted coup in 2016.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse in prison last week, Kavala said that he felt like Erdogan was trying to attribute domestic opposition to his rule of the past two years to a foreign conspiracy.

Kavala said: “The real reason I continue to be detained is that it solves the fiction that the government needs to keep the (2013) Gates protests as the result of a foreign conspiracy.”

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He said: “Because I was accused of participating in a conspiracy allegedly organized by foreign powers, releasing me would weaken the content of fiction, which is not what the government wants.”

Kavala was acquitted in February 2020, but was arrested again before returning home and sent back to prison on suspicion of being connected to the 2016 coup conspiracy.

The European Commission, Europe’s highest human rights monitoring body, has issued a final warning to Turkey, requiring Turkey to comply with the 2019 European Court of Human Rights order on the release of Kavala pending trial.

If Turkey fails to do so before the next meeting on December 30, December 2, the Strasbourg-based committee can vote to initiate the first disciplinary proceedings against Ankara.

This procedure may result in the suspension of Turkey’s voting rights and even its membership.