Der Spiegel: Turkish consulate officials involved in spying activities not only in Germany


Date posted: February 18, 2017

Turkish consulate officials have spied on the critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan not only in Germany but also in other countries including Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, German news magazine Der Spiegel reported.

In its recent issue published on Saturday, Der Spiegel released an inclusive research about Turkey’s recent profiling activities across the Europe.

“The espionage agents around the Turkish religious authorities go beyond Germany,” the article read adding that “not only were the names of persons transmitted” but also activities by the Gülen movement-affiliated schools, day-care centers, cultural and student associations reported to Turkey.

The magazine said Turkish embassy or consulate workers spy on the followers of the Gülen movement in many other European countries such as Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Turkish government pinned the blame for the July 15 coup attempt on the Gülen movement and detained more than 90,000 movement supporters while arresting 45,000 over links to it.

A leaked document, dated Sept. 20, 2016, said that the Turkey’s religious directorate Diyanet asked Turkish missions and religious representatives abroad to profile Gülen movement expatriates living in their respective countries.

Peter Pilz, an Austrian opposition lawmaker claimed last week that Turkey has also been operating an informer network via its embassy in Vienna that targets Erdoğan critics.

Meanwhile, an official from an education trade union, GEW (Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft) told German media last week that Turkish consulates in Germany have been organizing events for Turkish parents and asking them to spy on Erdoğan’s critics and Turkey at German schools.

Source: Turkey Purge , February 18, 2017


Related News

Three Turkish diplomats seeking asylum in Germany after coup

At least three Turkish diplomats, reportedly including one military attache, are seeking asylum in Germany in the wake of the failed military coup in Turkey, German media cited government sources as saying. That would likely further strain tense ties between Ankara and Berlin after Turkey was outraged by a resolution passed by Germany’s parliament that declared the 1915 massacre of Armenians to be genocide.

Ambassador says US having difficulty in seeing clear criterion in anti-Gülen operations

Speaking to a group of reporters in Istanbul on Friday, Bass said although the Turkish government insists that the anti-coup measures it has taken against followers of the Gülen movement are proportionate, it is difficult see that the Turkish government is taking its actions based on a clear criterion. Bass said the US was having difficulty in assessing whether the measures are proportionate and reasonable.

German Politician: Turkey like Nazi Germany after Reichstag

FDP leader Christian Lindner said he saw parallels between Erdogan’s behavior and the aftermath of the Reichstag fire in 1933 portrayed by the Nazis as a Communist plot against the government and used by Adolf Hitler to justify massively curtailing civil liberties. “We are experiencing a coup d’etat from above like in 1933 after the Reichstag fire. He is building an authoritarian regime tailored solely to himself,” Lindner said.

Approval rate of Turkish schools abroad at 78 percent

Research company Veritas conducted a survey in July 2013 with 4,296 people in face-to-face interviews in 42 provinces in an effort to measure the approval rate of the Turkish Olympiads that are organized annually.
Accordingly, 67 percent of the respondents expressed a positive opinion of these language olympiads while only 8 percent expressed a negative view.

Communists in Cold War, reactionaries in Feb. 28 coup and Gülenists in Erdoğan era

It is useful to make a point here: Is it not true that some civil servants and officers, including prosecutors, judges, police officers, district governors and governors, are members of the Gülen movement? Of course it’s true. But is that a crime? No, it is not. People cannot be blamed for their beliefs, thoughts, identities or colors. They cannot be discriminated against because of such characteristics.

5,166 Turkish citizens sought asylum in Germany during January-November

According to data from the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, there has been a rapid rise in the number of Turkish people seeking asylum in Germany since a failed coup attempt on July 15. Germany received asylum applications from a total of 5,166 Turkish citizens during the January-November period of 2016, according to a story in Deutsche Welle on Sunday.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Operation and crossroads: Hizmet movement falsely accused

Parents react to auditor, police raid of Hizmet-inspired school

Securitizing the Hizmet / Gulen movement

Indian scholar: Fethullah Gülen a great blessing for Turkey, World

Abant Platform discusses thriving relations between Turkey and Africa

‘Every minister I met in Africa asked for more schools’

Davud Hanci’s wife says Calgary imam detained in Turkey ‘a very peaceful man’

Copyright 2024 Hizmet News