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

The Fall of Turkey

Western officials have preferred to raise concerns over the steady dismantling of Turkey’s free institutions only privately with their counterparts in Ankara. This approach has failed. That failure has left many millions of pro-democracy Turks to fend for themselves, while a once-fringe ideological element in the AKP, reared on Islamist supremacism, has been emboldened.

Self-exiled Islamic scholar Gülen rejects Khomeini analogy for potential return to Turkey

I am not Iranian, how can I be like Khomeini? Nor have I ever had the pretensions that Khomeini had. I’m the child of my own country. If one day I return to Turkey, I will be the same as I’ve always been,” the U.S.-based Gülen said in a video-recorded message on March 5.

Gulen-linked org’s statement on Turkish Govt’s arrest of pro-Kurdish Parliamentarians

AfSV Statement on Turkish Government’s Arrest of HDP Parliamentarians  Erdogan’s Persecutions Underscore Authoritarian Slide New York (November 9, 2016) – The Alliance for Shared Values is deeply concerned about the arrests of nine members of Turkish Parliament from the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), including the party’s co-chairs Mr. Selahattin Demirtas and Ms. Figen Yuksekdag. […]

Is the March 30 referendum in danger?

It has become very evident that some businessmen who benefitted illegally in major state tenders acquired independent media, a person very close to Erdoğan was appointed as the editor-in-chief and that this media organ became a mouthpiece of Erdoğan. Independent civil society groups such as the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD) and the Hizmet movement are constantly depicted as traitors and the puppets of international dark forces by Erdoğan.

Turkish coup d’état: a failed test for the EU

Once the purges started, however, the game changed. The EU should oppose the purges as a symptom of an authoritarian turn and attempt of centralization of power by the ruling elite. By definition, a coup d’état is an illegal overthrow of the governing machine in place so to trigger a regime change. The response to a golpe by the ruling government should then be used as an opportunity to consolidate the power of the legitimately elected administration and give evidence of national unity.

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

Appearing on TV that night, Erdogan claimed no pre-knowledge of the incident and immediately blamed Gulen supporters in the military. However, Western governments and observers were not convinced. Experts noted the implausibility of a civilian living on another continent organizing a military coup and not being detected by U.S., Turkish or other intelligence agencies.

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

Kimse Yok Mu chair Cingöz: Everyone feels some type of oppression in Turkey

Caucasus analyst Öztarsu: Only dialogue can solve Turkish, Armenian problems

Çağlayan: TUSKON Trade Bridge soon to be global brand

A Trip to Turkey: Religious Practice and the Secular State

Turkish schools and businessmen mobilized for Izmir’s EXPO candidacy

Complainant says he was ‘fooled,’ apologizes to suspects in trial targeting Gülen followers

A strong message for Erdogan

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News