Thunder’s Enes Kanter says his father has been arrested and faces torture in Turkey


Date posted: June 4, 2017

Matt Bonesteel and Des Bieler

Last month, Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter was briefly detained at the airport in Bucharest, Romania, after the Turkish government tried to pull some shenanigans with his passport. Kanter, a frequent critic of the regime of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, eventually was allowed to leave on a flight to London after he broadcast his plight to the world via Twitter. He eventually made his way back to New York on a green card.

On Friday, Kanter announced that his father has been arrested by the Turkish government and again called Erdogan “the Hitler of our century.” Later in the day, he released a further statement regarding his father’s arrest on his website.

 

Kanter’s relationship with his family reportedly has been strained by his political views. The Thunder big man has long been a supporter of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric who has been accused by Erdogan of being the mastermind behind a failed, bloody coup attempt last year. Kanter’s family disowned him after he continued his support of the cleric last year, leading the NBA player to informally change his last name to Gulen.

“I apologize to the Turkish people and the president for having such a son,” Mehmet Kanter, Enes’s father, wrote in a pro-government newspaper last summer.

The Turkish government also has issued a warrant for Enes Kanter’s arrest, which ESPN says will prohibit him from traveling internationally. His detention at the Bucharest airport last month happened while he was on a worldwide tour for the Enes Kanter Foundation, which provides meals and clothing to the needy.

After he returned to the U.S., Kanter told reporters that he had been in Indonesia when his manager alerted him that Turkish officials had asked authorities in that country to provide his whereabouts. He hopped on the next flight out of Indonesia, eventually arriving at Bucharest and, with the help of the Thunder, both Oklahoma senators and the U.S. department of Homeland Security, was able to make it to New York.

Of that experience, Kanter told reporters, “It was scary, because there was a chance they might send me back to Turkey. And if they send me back to Turkey, probably you guys wouldn’t hear a word from me the second day. It would have definitely gotten really ugly.”

“My father is arrested because of my outspoken criticism of the ruling party. He may get tortured for simply being my family member,” Kanter said in his statement Friday.

“For a second please think and imagine, if something like this is happening to an NBA player, what is happening to the people with no voice or podium to speak on? There could be hundreds of thousands of people that are detained, tortured, or murdered that we are not hearing about. Freedom of expression is a basic human right, and I ask the WORLD to join me in seeking justice and equality for all and to reject oppressive regimes and dictatorships.”

Source: Washington Post , June 2, 2017


Related News

EU lends support to mosque-cemevi project

The European Union, which has been closely following the rights of Alevis in Turkey for years, has lent its support to a mosque-cemevi project to be built in Ankara. The European Commission said it supported dialogue that led to mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence, calling these principles the “hallmark of the EU.” Peter Stano, the spokesperson […]

Global Dignity Day marked in Turkey

The Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) organized a number of activities in Turkey to mark the Annual Global Dignity Day, which is celebrated with Global Dignity-led events around the world with the participation of 350.000 young people across 50 countries.

Erdoğan’s abstract enemies: parallel organization and superior mind

Totalitarian regimes rely on their ability to manufacture enemies. In his New Year message, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan referred to a host of “external enemies” and “traitors.” The ruling party characterizes these traitors as the “parallel organization” and “superior mind.” The phrases “parallel state” and “Pennsylvania organization” are used synonymously with the “parallel organization” as well.

1,500 pounds of frozen meat for needy Staten Island families

Fifteen Staten Island food pantries will distribute 1,500 pounds of frozen meat to needy families this holiday season.

Open Letter to the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)

While known as a devoted organization to aim providing insights, affirmations, and appreciation of Muslims in North America, which would hopefully replace prejudicial, arrogant, dialectical confrontation towards the Muslims in North America, with mutual respect and dialogical encounter, it is so sad to see ISNA supporting an initiative to demonize another Muslim society which aims to promote Islam and mutual understanding and tolerance between cultures all over the world.

Peace Curriculum Includes Fethullah Gulen

The Peace Learning Center in Eagle Creek, Indiana has added Fethullah Gulen to the peacemaking curriculum and Executive Director Tim Nation says Gulen’s work to promote interfaith dialogue and community service makes him an excellent peacemaker. The Peace Learning Center in Eagle Creek, Indiana has been teaching thousands of young people about how to be […]

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

Turkish school extended help to Turks after earthquake in Nepal

Turkish army profiled Tahşiyeciler as serving al-Qaeda

Lawyers for Gulen Call Flynn’s Comments ‘Troubling’

Gov’t media maintain attack on Bank Asya

ARO’s healthcare alliance with Cambodian Government agencies

Doesn’t Obama know Gülen is in the US?

Man dies in Maritsa River while fleeing persecution in Turkey

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News