Are Turkey’s Prisoners Hostages?


Date posted: November 16, 2016

Michael Rubin

Rumors have circulated throughout Turkey that, under the guise of averting a prison riot, Erdogan might order his forces to fire on the prisons. It is not a scenario beyond the realm of possibility; after all, the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi did something similar, killing more than 1,000 political prisoners.

Now, it seems, that members of Erdogan’s ruling party are making explicit the threat to kill prisoners. Hüseyin Kocabiyik, a member of parliament, tweeted that if there is any assassination attempt on Erdogan (an event that is certainly in the realm of possibility) the result would be the slaughter of the prisoners by forces loyal to Erdogan.

The case against the political prisoners was tenuous at best: No one beyond Turkey’s leader believes 100,000+ people were involved in a secret coup attempt. Their imprisonment—and increasing reports of torture in prison—make clear the purpose is vengeance for the sin of opposing Erdogan’s agenda. That one of Erdogan’s party colleagues now suggests their murder should raise concerns not only in Turkey but across the region. Responsible NATO members should not hold hostages.

Source: Commentary Magazine , November 15, 2016

Tags: | | |


Related News

Dutch police arrest Erdogan backer for threats after failed Turkish coup

Dutch police on Monday detained a 42-year-old Dutchman of Turkish descent for alleged death threats and hate speech after the failed Turkish coup in July, which has ratcheted up tension among Turks in the Netherlands. The arrested man is an Erdogan supporter and he is suspected of having threatened Gulen backers online and in person, a Dutch official said on condition of anonymity.

Erdoğan escalates elimination of Gülenists from state [ with no proof of accusations]

Since the Dec. 17 graft probe, hundreds of prosecutors and judges and around 2,500 police officers who the government believes to be close to Gülen have been removed from their posts, and it seems that it is not going to stop there.

Turkey’s post-coup brain drain

Bekir Cinar was working as an assistant professor at the political sciences department of Suleyman Sah University when it fell victim to the crackdown. He says that many academics with different views were working at the university. Cinar is currently continuing his scientific work at a British university. He considers this a major loss for Turkey, not least because it takes 20 to 30 years to become an academic.

Turkey Heads Toward Radical Islamic Dictatorship

Thousands have been arrested. Civil rights are suspended. People are jailed with no way to consult lawyers or present a defense. The coup has become an excuse for Erdoğan to purge state institutions, and even the private sector, of his critics, regardless of their guilt with regard to the insurrection. The Turkish government — and a 100% state-controlled media — has accused the U.S. government of being behind the coup attempt itself and harboring its purported mastermind, Fetullah Gulen.

Samanyolu high school wins gold medal in TÜBİTAK contest

Samanyolu Science High School students Sadık Said Kasap and Onur Sulak won the gold medal among 24 final contenders whose work was chosen out of 1,156 projects. Kasap and Sulak stated that they had been working on their project for the last eight months and that they had striven to make a contribution to the world of mathematics.

Al Arabiya: Gulen confident US will not extradite him

In an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya News Channel, Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen said he was confident that the United States will not extradite him. “The United States has a reputation in the world as a country that upholds the rule of law. So I trust they will follow the proper procedures,” Gulen told Al Arabiya’s New York Bureau Chief Talal al-Haj.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

The Gulen Institute Youth Platform has announced its fifth international essay contest

Rumi Forum bestows Peace and Dialogue awards 2013

Gülen: I hope they avoid the adventures of the Union and Progress Party

Gülen: purge of public officials seems ‘arbitrary’

Turkish doctors save lives in the Philippines

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

President Zuma sends message to the South African – Turkish Business Association Business Awards

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News