UN slams Thailand, Myanmar over deportation of Turk


Date posted: May 27, 2017

The United Nations expressed grave concern on Saturday over the deportation by Myanmar and Thailand of a Turkish national over alleged connections to a July 2016 coup attempt against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The UN Human Rights office said the deportation to Turkey of Muhammet Furkan Sokmen, a former employee of an international school in Yangon, was one of an increasing number of cases of Turkish nationals singled out by Turkish authorities over suspected links to the US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Ankara maintains that Gulen’s network of followers in the military staged the abortive coup, during which more than 240 people were killed. Gulen has repeatedly denied the claims.

Muhammet was reportedly arrested at Yangon airport on Wednesday, the UN said in a statement. He was sent to Thailand where he was held at an immigration detention centre before being deported to Turkey on Friday.

Colonel Myo Thu Soe, a spokesman for Myanmar police headquarters in Nay Pyi Daw, told Reuters that an official from the Turkish embassy had given him a certificate of identification and Muhammet was put on a Myanmar Airways plane to Bangkok, while his wife and daughter remained in Yangon.

Reuters was unable to contact Muhammet on his mobile phone.

“UN Human Rights for Southeast Asia expressed grave concern over the deportation by Myanmar — via Thailand — of Turkish national Muhammet Furkan Sokmen, and strongly urged authorities not to deport those deemed at risk upon their return to Turkey,” the UN said in a statement.

“We reiterate our call to all governments, including in this latest case the Thai and Myanmar governments, to put in place an effective system of review before deportation occurs,” said Laurent Meillan, acting regional representative of the UN Human Rights office for Southeast Asia.

Muhammet is at least the sixth person to be deported from Southeast Asia over alleged connections to Gulen’s movement, the UN said.

Source: Banhkok Post , May 27, 2017


Related News

Hizmet movement and perceptions

We are going through a very critical period. We need the common sense and support of all the precious members of the Hizmet movement as we have never needed them before. We must protect our democratic gains. I pen this article as a person who closely sided with the Hizmet movement during the attacks of Ergenekon — a clandestine organization nested within the state trying to overthrow or manipulate the democratically elected government — and the deep state, and who backed its justified objections to the government’s plan to shut down the prep schools.

Body of Turkish woman fleeing to Greece found weeks after boat capsized

Turkish authorities have found the body of Aslı Doğan, a Turkish woman who went missing after a refugee boat carrying eight people capsized in the river that marks the border of Turkey and Greece on Feb. 13, 2018.

History teacher gives birth to her third child in prison

Under arrest as part of an investigation into the Gulen movement since Nov 3, 2016, history teacher Özlem Meci gave birth to her third child in prison. Özlem delivered her third child, named Murat, on Feb 15, 2017 but her requests for trial without arrest have remained inconclusive so far.

Let Mr. Erdogan Fight His Own Battles

Mr. Erdogan is trying to drag the United States into the argument by threatening to demand Mr. Gulen’s extradition to Turkey. Some experts say there is no legal basis for an extradition request because there are no charges or legal cases against Mr. Gulen, who has permanent-resident status and has lived in rural Pennsylvania since 1997.

Erdoğan using hate speech against Gülen movement, says MEP

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s accusations against a faith-based movement led by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen amidst a corruption scandal are both uncalled for and amount to “a kind of hate speech” that has the risk of sparking violence against the group, a senior member of the European Parliament has said.

Fethullah Gulen’s new book “The Struggle for Renewal” sold 200,000 in 20 days

Fethullah Gulen’s new book [written in Turkish] “The Struggle of Renewal,”* the last of Broken Pot series published by Nil Publications, sold 200.000 in 20 days in Turkey. Gulen’s books are guiding ones, which address to and suggest solutions for the needs of society”. Yilmaz Simsek, NT Stores director of Book Category, said the book […]

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

Turkey stands by Somalia during Eid Al-Adha

To embrace the spirit of acceptance and tolerance

Major reshuffle in Turkish judiciary amid graft probe row

Fethullah Gulen’s Message on New Defamation Efforts by Erdogan Regime

Islam and Peace: Oxymoron or perfect match?

Pro-Erdoğan troll calls on gov’t to execute Gülen followers

The tragic echoes of Turkey’s anti-Gülen campaign in Turkmenistan

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News