Asylum seekers with ties to the opposition from last month’s failed coup attempt in Turkey will not be sent back to the nation by Sweden until further notice, the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) has decided.
The decision covers “people with credible connection to the attempted coup on July 15th” in Turkey, where an attempted military takeover was foiled after President Recap Tayyip Erdogan rallied supporters to quash the move.
The group considered by the Migration Agency to be at potential risk includes supporters of Turkish opposition leader Fethullah Gülen, whom Ankara has named as responsible for the coup attempt against Erdogan.
People who have taken part in “credible political opposition” are also part of the risk group, the Migration Agency writes on its website. The decision was taken on July 18th and is valid until further notice.
The migration authority also says that decisions on granting asylum to members of the concerned groups may be temporarily delayed because the agency believes further information on the “political and safety situation in Turkey” is needed.
The Swedish Migration Agency also advised that the situation in Turkey does not hinder tourist transfers via Istanbul or other Turkish airports.
Nigerian Federal Government ignores Turkey’s request to close Turkish schools
The relations between Nigeria and Turkey have been traditionally cordial, and bilateral trade has grown over the years between them. The annual trade volume between Turkey and Nigeria was $1.2 billion by second quarter of 2016, and this consists of clothing, food, engines and automobile parts, as well as pharmaceuticals.
Somalia agrees Turkey’s anti-Gülen crackdown, Kenya, Germany and Indonesia resist
In Kenya, where Gulen’s Omeriye Foundation has grown from its first school in 1998 in the vast Nairobi slum of Kibera to a nationwide network of academies, the government has resisted pressure to close them down. Turkish officials have requested Kenya to shut down the Gulenist schools on a number of occasions before the attempted coup.
Investigation into journalist over MGK, MİT revelations blow to free press
A prompt investigation launched against journalist Mehmet Baransu for reporting on a confidential National Security Council document that mentioned a planned crackdown on faith-based groups in the country has been met with harsh criticism by Turkish and foreign journalist associations. “It is the responsibility of a journalist to report on issues that directly concern the people,” stated Committee to Protect Journalists Executive Director Joel Simon, when speaking to the Cihan news agency.
The Process Behind Turkey’s Proposed Extradition of Fethullah Gülen
By publicly campaigning for Gülen’s immediate extradition—before a formal request had been submitted—Turkish officials reinforced the idea that the United States is somehow protecting Gülen or resisting the extradition process. That is not true. There will be critics of any eventual decision, just as there are critics of the delay in reaching a decision. Whatever the result, both governments should communicate the decision with consideration for the long-term relationship and should operate on the assumption that the other is acting in good faith.
Prof. Weller: Hizmet [movement] accomplished bringing together oppositions in society
” Hizmet movement is very clear in its stance against political Islam. Hizmet maintains that transformation in Muslim societies come about among civil societies and an Islamic state model is no longer needed in today’s world. Regardless of individuals’ religious views and cultural background, Hizmet strongly believes the universal human right parameters and democratic principles suffice to handle people,”
Court accepts indictment against 9 officers in case seen as political witch hunt
The investigation into the nine police officers is being carried out by Adana Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Ali Doğan. The investigation drew strong criticism, as they were based on claims made in government media outlets’ news reports. This raised suspicions as to whether the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) had kicked off a witch hunt against the Hizmet movement, which the prime minister recently threatened to “punish with a large-scale operation.
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