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| The Boss is a dictator - vote NO |
Anyone criticizing or challenging his leadership risks imprisonment,
including public figures, journalists, academics, other intellectuals,
human rights activists, even young children – on charges ranging from
insulting the president to terrorism, espionage or treason.
He purged or imprisoned over 100,000 regime critics – from the judiciary, military, police, media and academia.
His state of emergency imposed after last summer’s coup attempt
“target(s) criticism, not terrorism,” according to UN High Commissioner
for human rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein.
He uses emergency powers to target dissent, aimed at consolidating unchallenged power.
He’s accused of disappearing opponents, extrajudicial killings, torture, and other flagrant human rights abuses.
Last year, he cited Hitler as a role model, calling his Nazi regime
perhaps an ideal way to run Turkey, saying he wants things streamlined
for more effective decision-making – code language for wanting
iron-fisted rule, all challengers and critics eliminated.
He’s at war with Kurds in Turkey, Syria and Iraq, committing atrocities
on the phony pretext of combating terrorism he supports – claiming he
has a “historical (regional) responsibility.”
A row between Berlin and Ankara erupted after local German authorities
cancelled campaign events Turkish ministers arranged to speak at in
support of an April referendum on expanding Erdogan’s presidential
powers.
About 1.4 million Turkish nationals live in Germany, eligible to vote in the referendum.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had nothing to do with it. Ignoring
his own tyrannical rule, Erdogan responded angrily, saying “Germany, you
have no relation whatsoever to democracy and you should know that your
current actions are no different to those of the Nazi period.”
His spokesman Ibrahim Kalin claimed “(a) huge anti-Turkey, anti-Erdogan
attitude is being systematically produced and serviced to the world,
especially through Germany.”
Merkel said his accusations “cannot be justified. We will not allow the
victims of the Nazis to be trivialized. These comparisons with the Nazis
must stop.”
Last month, Die Welt reporter Deniz Yucel, with dual German/Turkish
citizenship, was detained in Istanbul, accused of spying for Berlin and
representing the outlawed Kurdish PKK group.
Germany called the charges “absurd.” Merkel told parliament her government is working “with all its means” to free him.
A separate row erupted after the Netherlands canceled flight clearance
for Turkish Prime Minister Melvut Cavusoglu’s scheduled March 11 visit
to Rotterdam to speak at a pro-Erdogan rally.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Ankara wasn’t respecting public gathering rules, explaining:
“Many Dutch people with a Turkish background are authorized to vote
in the referendum over the Turkish constitution. The Dutch government
does not have any protest against gatherings in our country to inform
them about it.”
“But these gatherings may not contribute to tensions in our society
and everyone who wants to hold a gathering is obliged to follow
instructions of those in authority so that public order and safety can
be guaranteed.”
Cavusoglu angrily responded, saying “(i)f the Netherlands cancels my
flight clearance today, then we will impose severe sanctions,” adding he
intends flying to the country later on Saturday.
A Dutch government statement said his “sanctions threat made search for a reasonable solution impossible.”
Erdogan called Dutch authorities “Nazi remnants, fascists,” warning they’ll be impeded from traveling to Turkey.
How this row gets resolved remains to be seen. Dealings with Erdogan are never easy.
Note EU-Digest: Turkey under leadership of Erdogan is an ever increasing disaster: It is
time for the EU, the NATO and democratic countries around the world to
call a Spade a Spade and wake up to the fact that it is impossible to
deal with this Turkish narcissist president.
He already is a dictator -
has no respect for the present Turkish Constitution, election laws
(which forbid the Turkish Government and citizens to hold political
rallies abroad); locked up more journalists than China; and has enriched
himself and his family with money from illegal business deals
.Erdogan's so-called referendum on April 16, 2017 is nothing more than a
further attempt to amass more power and influence.. YES INDEED, TURKS
AROUND THE WORLD NEED TO PROTECT TURKEY FROM DESTRUCTION AND VOTE NO.
Read
more: Turkey’s Tyrannical Rule, Erdogan’s “Democratic Dictatorship” |
Global Research - Centre for Research on Globalization
