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

Bank Asya seeks immediate return of ‘hijacked’ management rights

Turkey’s largest Islamic lender, Bank Asya, is demanding that the state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) return the bank’s rights to control its management following strong indications that the fund’s decision on Tuesday to take over control of the lender’s board has no legal basis and is politically motivated.

Erdogan’s Maarif Foundation To Contribute Radicalism, Exacerbate Muslim-Christian Tension In African Countries

Turkey’s President Erdoğan has aimed at replacing the positive contributions of the schools opened by the Gülen movement in Africa to preventing clashes in countries, where there is Christian-Muslim tension, with radical Islamist rhetoric and thus will create conflict rather than dialogue in African countries, stated a report recently released.

University entrance exam results announced, top scorers from Gülen-affiliated schools

Turkey’s Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) on Thursday announced the results of the Transition to Higher Education Examination (YGS), revealing that students from Gülen-affiliated schools, which have been the target of a government-sponsored defamation campaign, are among the top scorers of the exam.

Bad temper

Things are not going well in this country, which is governed by the interpersonal relations of nepotism. The relatives of ruling party figures are praised and offered important positions. Lies, slanders, insults, threats and blackmailing…

Fethullah Gülen: Erdogan is a Narcissist Dictator, His Main Enemy is Himself

Fethullah Gülen: It is Erdogan who considers me his enemy. I have never considered him as such. I just asked him to keep his promises. His main enemy is himself.

Boston Globe: Fethullah Gulen, a US resident wanted by Turkey, must be protected

Why was the White House even talking about Gulen, who has been living peacefully, and legally, in Pennsylvania?

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

Turkish businessmen gift another school to South Africa

Action plan put into operation against Hizmet, indictment reveals

S.A. nun speaks at the U.N. on Gulen

Please do not insult the intelligence of the people

Fethullah Gülen’s legal journey

Monitoring group documents 53 suspicious deaths since coup attempt

Farewell of Pak-Turk Teachers: Symbolic Burial of a Heart

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News