Human Rights Watch Warns of 'Authoritarian Drift' in Turkey

[viper37]

I wanted to resurrect the migration crisis megathread with this news, as it seems like 3 million non-white people are about to be kicked out of Turkey as things go, and that will get most of the European population Hungary go apeshit nazi.

FYP

Hungary isn't exactly unique.  There were a lot of tensions in France and in the UK.  Heck, the UK voted on Brexit because it didn't want anymore migrants.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Germany will remain a shining beacon of social democracy as the rest of Europe goes far-right.

until there's so many non-germans that Germany ceases to exist . Final victory: France.

[grumbler]

until there's so many non-germans that Germany ceases to exist . Final victory: France.

What is this "France" of which you speak? 

Do you mean Northern Algeria?

[Syt]

https://www.ft.com/content/134e8364-bf14-11e6-9bca-2b93a6856354

Turkish constitution proposal gives more power to Erdogan

Draft proposes a system that would place Erdogan's office at center of all decisions

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party unveiled a controversial new draft constitution that not only strengthens the presidency, but also clears the way for Recep Tayyip Erdogan to potentially rule the country until 2029.

The draft, which must now be debated in parliament and then put to a nationwide referendum, is meant to replace Turkey's current constitution, which was written by a military government in the early 1980s. But in creating an empowered presidency - and sidelining the current role of the prime minister - the draft proposes a system of government that would place Mr Erdogan's office at the center of all decisions in Turkey.

"This package of proposals largely satisfies Erdogan's wish list as it gets very close to the full executive presidential system he has long sought," said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director at the Eurasia Group consultancy. "Not only is the Prime Minister's office abolished but parliament's role will be massively diluted - basically converting the legislative branch into something of a rubber stamp.

To a large extent, that's how Mr Erdogan currently runs the country, while occupying a presidency that is far more ceremonial under the law. After crushing a coup in July, and disposing of an independent prime minister earlier this year, Mr Erdogan has cemented his role as the country's most powerful politician since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the republic in 1923.

Currently endowed with emergency powers, Mr Erdogan rules by decree, which has allowed him to reshape the country's opposition through threats, jailings and a near-complete news blackout. Mr Erdogan - and his allies - have argued that Mr Erdogan's robust response to threats - from terrorism, coup-mongers and economic crises - have tested the current constitution, making immediate reform necessary.

The bill is the result of "a national agreement, a proposition based on Turkey's needs and experience of government, proposed by two parties", said Abdulhamit Gul, the secretary general of the party, also known as the AKP.

He was referring to the new-found support of the nationalist opposition, which now allows Mr Erdogan to cross the 330-vote barrier needed in parliament to put the 21-article draft to a nationwide referendum.

That opposition, known as the MHP, has seen its support in the country wither away as Mr Erdogan has appropriated their key public policy position, smashing a Kurdish opposition with military actions in their south-eastern strongholds and jailing their democratically elected leaders under suspicion of ties to an outlawed Kurdish militancy. An alliance with the AKP returns them to the political center-stage.

Mr Erdogan will now be campaigning for legislators and the nation to support the reform just as the country prepares to enter an economic slowdown and deals with a wave of terrorist attacks, including one in central Istanbul hours after the draft was unveiled and a crisis in its relationship with the EU.

"The fact the package seems so tailor made to Erdogan and the MHP has made such major concessions increases the risk the package won't secure sufficient political support or that the referendum will fail," said Mr Rahman "To limit this risk, we're likely to see more economic populism, a more hawkish stance against the Kurds and the risk of a more volatile foreign policy, all designed to rally nationalists around the flag."

[Valmy]

Well this probably ends any possibility of Turkey ever working as a multi-national state if the one Turkish politician the Kurds ever supported turns on them.

I know it keeps happening but it still baffles me how somebody can be as corrupt and vile as people like Erdogan. His country will never be the same, he is doing lasting damage that make it incredibly unlikely Turkey will ever make it as a successful country with strong institutions. How can somebody be that selfish?

[celedhring]

Well this probably ends any possibility of Turkey ever working as a multi-national state if the one Turkish politician the Kurds ever supported turns on them.

I know it keeps happening but it still baffles me how somebody can be as corrupt and vile as people like Erdogan. His country will never be the same, he is doing lasting damage that make it incredibly unlikely Turkey will ever make it as a successful country with strong institutions. How can somebody be that selfish?

Nobody ever thinks of himself as the villain of the piece. I'm sure he's rationalized that's all in the best for the "good guys" (whoever he considers the good guys to be).

[Valmy]

Nobody ever thinks of himself as the villain of the piece. I'm sure he's rationalized that's all in the best for the "good guys" (whoever he considers the good guys to be).

I am aware. Even Chavez probably thought he really was the good guy as he ruined Venezuela and stole a billion dollars. The psychology behind it is amazing though.

[Syt]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/turkey-arrests-1656-people-supporting-terrorism-online-a7494466.html

Turkey arrests 1,656 people for 'supporting terrorism' online

Interior Ministry announces it is investigating at least 10,000 others for alleged activity

Turkey has arrested 1,656 people in the past six months for allegedly supporting terrorism or insulting officials on social media.

The Interior Ministry also announced it was investigating at least 10,000 others for their alleged activity online.

In a statement, the ministry said legal action had been taken against 3,710 people identified by police. A further 1,203 people were released on probation, an additional 767 were released and 84 others are still in detention.

Charges include allegedly provoking hatred among the people; praising terrorist organisations; disseminating terrorist propaganda; openly declaring allegiance to terrorist groups; insulting statesmen; and targeting the indivisibility of the state or safety of citizens.

Turkey has detained thousands of citizens and purged tens of thousands of public servants accusing them of alleged ties to outlawed groups since the failed coup in July

The Government has cited ongoing terrorism as the justification for its actions but human rights groups and legal experts have repeatedly expressed their concerns.

Turkey frequently restricts access to social media websites to prevent spread of any material which could harm public order or security.

On Friday, access was restricted to social media websites for several hours after the Islamic State group released a video showing two Turkish soldiers being burned alive.

Apparently a cook who works at the Cumhürriyet offices (a paper critical or Erdogan) because he said if Erdogan showed up at his workplace he wouldn't serve him tea. Charge: insulting the president (up to 4 years jail time).

[Razgovory]

Don't look at me.  I'm not going to defend this bullshit anymore.

[Syt]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/turkey-readies-enhanced-powers-for-president-1484927153

Turkey's Parliament Approves Enhanced Powers for President

Lawmakers pass constitutional overhauls sought by Erdogan; public vote is next

ISTANBUL—Turkey passed a sweeping constitutional reform package early Saturday that could amplify the powers of the presidency and give President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the possibility of extending his authority by at least a decade.

The bill, which passed through the final vote with 339 votes in parliament, will be submitted to a national referendum in the spring. All 18 articles of the legislation easily amassed more than enough support from the ruling party and its allies in earlier rounds of voting, making its passage in the final stage appear certain.

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, has described the referendum as a popular vote on Mr. Erdogan himself. Victory would allow him to seek two more five-year terms after his current one ends in 2019, and give him or any future leader more direct influence over parliament as well as the judiciary.

The president's supporters say the overhauls are the nation's best path to stability at a time when it is facing fears of a prolonged economic slump, counterterrorism fights at home and across its borders, and the fallout from a failed coup in July.

Opponents of the measures said that debating and voting on sweeping changes to the nation's power structure under a state of emergency when the president's political opponents are being jailed is a dangerous move that underscores what they see as Mr. Erdogan's authoritarian tendencies and weakens democratic checks and balances.

"We are on a speeding train going off a cliff," said Utku Cakirozer, a parliamentarian for the main opposition People's Republican Party.

Mr. Erdogan has marshaled nine Justice and Development Party election victories since 2002, making him one of the most successful democratic leaders in the history of the republic, in part due to the party's record of pro-business policies and social reforms.

Since the violent mutiny in July, Turkish authorities have used extraordinary powers under a state of emergency to purge more than 140,000 civil servants and military personnel accused of supporting the alleged coup plotters; 40,000 of them are under detention.

They have also jailed the top leadership of a pro-Kurdish political party that in the November 2015 national elections became the third-largest party in parliament, with 59 seats. As well, the government has closed more than 169 media outlets since the summer.

The constitutional reforms include measures that would allow Mr. Erdogan, who became the first directly elected president in 2014, to rule until 2029 with the sort of executive powers that are similar to the U.S. system.

The changes would allow the president to issue decrees, declare a state of emergency, appoint ministers and senior state employees and exert more authority over the judiciary.

Another major change would allow the president to be the head of his political party, something that has been prohibited for much of Turkey's history as a republic.

The second round of voting on the closely watched bill started on Wednesday, after weeks of debate.

Following parliament's passage of the bill, it will be submitted to Mr. Erdogan, who has 15 days to sign it. It will then be the subject of a public referendum likely to be held between late March and mid-April, according to state-run Anadolu news agency.

Mr. Erdogan has long advocated for a presidential system similar to the U.S. and Russia, and argues that Turkey can fend off existential threats only with a strong and efficient state.

His ruling AKP has been working on the constitutional measures for more than a year and had made it a pillar of their legislative agenda.

Since becoming Turkey's first directly elected president in 2014 after three terms as prime minister, Mr. Erdogan has said his popular mandate has already effectively transformed the presidency, imbuing it with de facto executive powers.

The ruling AKP is 13 lawmakers short of the 330 votes needed to adopt the legislation. It has relied mainly on members from the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, to reach the threshold in the parliamentary voting, while other, larger opposition blocs have opposed the bill.

The opposition—including some nationalists—says that expanding presidential powers will erode democracy, destroy the separation of powers and establish one-man rule.

[Zanza]

It's similar to Hitler's Enabling Act of 1933. This is the end of parliament in Turkey and establishing a full dictatorship.

[mongers]

Don't look at me.  I'm not going to defend this bullshit anymore.

Derspiess will probably say the same thing in around 3.5 years time.   

[Syt]

https://www.thelocal.de/20170303/turkey-minister-cancels-germany-trip-over-rally-ban

Turkey minister cancels Germany trip over rally ban

Turkey's justice minister said Thursday he scrapped a visit to Germany after authorities there blocked a rally promoting a referendum that could expand President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers.

The Turkish government also on Thursday summoned Germany's ambassador to protest the cancellation of the rallies.

Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag had scrapped his visit to Germany after the authorities blocked a rally where we was set to speak to the Turkish community in Gaggenau, Baden-Württemberg, late on Thursday.

A bomb threat was reported on Friday morning by Gaggenau's mayor, causing authorities to evacuate the town hall, broadcaster N-tv reported.

Bozdag was also scheduled to meet his German counterpart during his visit.

"Our discomfort and our reaction to these developments have been communicated in person to the German ambassador who was summoned this evening to the (foreign) ministry," a senior Turkish official said on condition of anonymity.

The new row adds to tensions between Turkey and Germany over a number of disputes including Ankara's provisional detention of a German journalist on terrorism-related charges.

"That meeting with (the German justice minister) will not take place. I will return to Turkey," Bozdag said while on an official visit to Strasbourg, in remarks carried by N-tv.

The move comes after Gaggenau authorities withdrew an earlier agreement with the Union of European Turkish Democrats (UETD) to hold a rally, with Bozdag as the guest speaker, saying that the hall did not have the capacity to host so many people.

"Because the event is now known across the region, the city expects a large number of visitors. However, the Bad Rotenfels hall (in Gaggenau), parking lots and access road are insufficient to meet that demand," the town's authorities said in a statement.

"Due to these reasons, the hall rental agreement with the UETD has been revoked," it added.

'Building Berlin walls'

Bozdag condemned the move, claiming it smacked of hypocrisy.

"It is unacceptable that German authorities, who constantly lecture us about human rights, democracy, rule of law, free speech... do not tolerate a meeting organised by the Turkish community," he said.

Turkish politicians including Prime Minister Binali Yildirim have sparked controversy over their visits to Germany to hold political rallies.

Germany is home to about three million people of Turkish origin, the legacy of a massive "guest worker" programme in the 1960s-70s, the biggest population of Turks outside of Turkey.

Erdogan's government is keen to harness their votes for the April 16th referendum, which would discard the post of prime minister for the first time in Turkey's history.

The Turkish government says the changes would bring stability while critics say the new presidential system would cement one-man rule in the country.

Separately, Cologne city authorities said they would no longer allow the UETD to use a hall on Sunday, when Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci was expected to make a rally speech.

"The event can and will not happen there," a spokeswoman for Cologne city authorities told AFP, citing difficulties in guaranteeing security at such short notice.

It was unclear if Zeybekci would be able to find an alternative site.

In a series of tweets, Turkey's EU affairs minister Omer Celik slammed the German authorities' move, saying it would be a "success for racists."

"By behaving so, they (German authorities) are harming the bridges between the democracies and building ideological Berlin walls that cut off people from each other," Celik wrote.

Relations between the two NATO allies Turkey and Germany have soured following a series of disputes since the failed coup bid to oust Erdogan last July.

An Istanbul court ordered Monday provisional detention for Deniz Yucel, 43, a correspondent of the German newspaper Die Welt, criticised by Chancellor Angela Merkel as "bitter and disappointing".

Berlin's sharp criticism of Ankara's massive crackdown after the failed putsch has also irked Turkey.

http://www.thelocal.at/20170301/turkey-angry-after-erdogan-is-told-he-cant-campaign-in-austria

Turkey angry after Erdogan is told he can't campaign in Austria

Turkey has slammed Austria's "double standard" and "irresponsible" approach to potential campaigning by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the EU member state ahead of April's referendum.

Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said Erdogan is "not welcome" to hold campaign events, adding that it would "increase friction" in Austria and prevent the integration of a 360,000-strong minority of Turkish origin.

"We do not accept those irresponsible comments that exceed their limits and the distorted mentality," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu said in a statement late on Monday.

Kurz's comments are a "new example of a biased and double standard approach", he added.

Turkey will hold an April 16th referendum on changing the constitution to give Erdogan an executive presidency along the lines of that in France or in the United States.

The Turkish government says the changes would bring stability while opponents fear it would hugely boost Erdogan's powers and drag Turkey into one-man rule.

Speaking in Vienna on Monday, Kurz said his government was clearly against bringing the "the Turkish campaign and (the resulting) polarisation to Austria" in remarks deemed as "worrying" by the Turkish foreign ministry.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

it would be nice if european goverments told those turks that keep voting for Erdogan that their one way ticket back to Turkey has been prepared and is waiting for them.
They should, after all, go live and enjoy the rule of the leader they adore so much. 

[Syt]

Turkey is really starting to flip its lid.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39156138

Erdogan anger as Germany-Turkey war of words escalates

A row between Ankara and Berlin over a series of cancelled Turkish political rallies in Germany is continuing to escalate.

On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Berlin of "aiding and harbouring" terror.

He said a German-Turkish journalist detained by Turkey was a "German agent" and a member of the outlawed Kurdish militant group, the PKK.

A source in Germany's foreign ministry told Reuters the claims were "absurd".

Earlier German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she respected local authorities' decisions to cancel rallies that Turkey's justice and economy ministers had been scheduled to address.

Turkey is trying to woo ethnic Turkish voters ahead of a key referendum.

About 1.4m Turks living in Germany are eligible to vote in the April referendum, in which President Erdogan aims to win backing for sweeping new powers.

The constitutional changes would boost Mr Erdogan's presidency and significantly weaken parliament's role.

Turkish officials have been angered after local German officials withdrew permission for rallies in Gaggenau, Cologne and Frechen.

Gaggenau authorities had said there was insufficient space for the rally, while Cologne officials said they had been misled about the purpose of the event.

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, who had been due to speak in Gaggenau, said he saw "old illnesses flaring up" between the two Nato allies.

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused the German government of backing opposition to Mr Erdogan's planned constitutional changes.

He said: "You are not Turkey's boss. You are not a first class [country] and Turkey is not second class. We are not treating you like that, and you have to treat Turkey properly.

"If you want to maintain your relations with us, you have to learn how to behave."

Germany's foreign ministry said the central government had nothing to do with the cancellations, and Ankara should refrain from "pouring oil on the fire".

The growing row is troubling for Chancellor Merkel because she persuaded Turkey to help block the surge of migrants - many of them Syrian refugees - into the EU.

Separately, the Dutch government on Friday described plans for a Turkish referendum campaign rally in Rotterdam as "undesirable". Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was reportedly meant to attend the rally scheduled for 11 March.

'German spy'

Ties between Berlin and Istanbul are also strained over Turkey's arrest of Deniz Yucel, a journalist who works for Die Welt.

Mr Yucel "hid in the German embassy as a member of the PKK and a German agent for one month", Mr Erdogan said.

"When we told them to hand him over to be tried, they refused."

German's foreign ministry called the spy claims "absurd".

Ms Merkel, referring to the case earlier, told reporters in Tunis: "We support freedom of expression and we can criticise Turkey."

German Justice Minister Heiko Maas sent his Turkish counterpart, Mr Bozdag, a sharply-worded letter warning against "dismantling the rule of law".

He said the Turkish treatment of Mr Yucel was "disproportionate".

"If Turkey fails to uphold core European values, then closer relations with the European Union will become more difficult, or impossible," he wrote.

In Turkey, dozens of writers and journalists have been arrested in a far-reaching crackdown that followed a failed coup against Mr Erdogan in July 2016.

A large number Turkish diplomats and soldiers have sought asylum in Germany since the coup attempt, a further source of bilateral tension.