Thousands of Turks Seek Asylum in Germany


Date posted: May 11, 2017

The German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has issued new guidelines likely to increase the number of accepted asylum applications from Turkey as thousands of Turks flee the country. As Hurriyet Daily reports:

Around 450 Turkish diplomats, military officers, judges and other public officers have applied for asylum in Germany, according to a report by Der Spiegel. [….]

Some of those who sought asylum in the country included NATO military officers stationed in Belgium and a military attaché at the Turkish Embassy in an African country, the report said.

Overall, more than 7,700 Turkish citizens have applied for asylum in Germany, it added.

Only 8 percent of the asylum applications were approved last year, but authorities from BAMF estimate that this rate will increase in 2017.

This won’t down well with Erdogan.

Many, though not all, of the officials are suspected of having links to the Gulen movement accused of plotting the 15 July coup attempt last year. Given the lack of evidence that the Turkish government has been able to provide for the culpability of Gulen himself, it seems unlikely that the Turks would be able to provide better evidence to the Germans that these lower-level figures committed any crimes. The purge or arrest of tens of thousands of suspected Gulenists and opposition figures (notably—for its absurdity— including tens of thousands of school teachers) gives Turks with connections to Gulen or the opposition every reason to flee the country and Germany every reason to grant them asylum as victims of political persecution.

The presence of hundreds or thousands of asylees wanted by the Turkish government will be just one of many outstanding issues dividing Turkey from Germany and Europe as a whole. Germany has already said that it won’t allow Turkish residents in Germany to vote in any referendum on re-instituting the death penalty; other European countries are looking to follow suit. Germany is also home to a growing number of journalists in exile, whose writings will be no less incendiary for a Turkish government which is trying to exercise ever greater degrees of censorship at home.

Fun times ahead.

Source: American Interest , May 9, 2017


Related News

Today is another Human Rights Day, but atrocities persist | Opinion

One such case is the experience of thousands of Turkish people under the Erdogan regime after the failed coup attempt in July 2016. Soon after the coup attempt, Erdogan’s regime launched a crackdown on opponents and critics, detaining thousands of journalists, rights activists, lawyers, teachers and writers for their alleged involvement in anti-state activities.

Sudan arrests Gülen-linked businessman at Turkey’s request

Sudanese law enforcement detained Turkish businessman Memduh Çıkmaz at Ankara’s request as part of an investigation into the Gülen movement. Çıkmaz was detained in the capital city of Khartoum on Wednesday and denied request to meet his lawyer and family members.

Turkey asks imams abroad to profile Gülen-linked expatriates

A document dated Sept. 20, 2016 shows that Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) asked Turkish missions and religious representatives abroad to profile Gülen movement expatriates living in their respective foreign countries.

Turkish police to detain another woman immediately after delivery

A group of police officers awaited outside a private hospital in Yalova province of Turkey in order to detain a woman who had given birth several hours earlier, according to a tweet by MağduriyetlerTR account.

Peace ambassador students conquer hearts at European Parliament

The Gala of the 13th International Language and Culture Olympics’ Brussels closing leg was hosted by the European Parliament, featuring 200 students from Turkish schools across the globe.

Client fearfully waiting his turn to be tortured at Ankara police station: lawyer

An Ankara lawyer who wants to remain anonymous has said his/her client, detained over his links to the Gülen movement, was waiting his turn in fears to be tortured at a detention facility in Turkey’s capital.

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

When paths part…

Erdogan Gov’t aims to abolish global charity Kimse Yok Mu

Is Erdogan’s smile worth more than the tears of Pak-Turk students?

Kimse Yok Mu organizes international cartoon competition: ‘Refugees’

Canadian Globe Editorial- It just gets worse in Turkey

What does Turkey deserve?

Nubuwwat symposium starts with rejection of suicide bombing, terrorism

Copyright 2024 Hizmet News