Turkish Human Rights Violations Put Under Microscope


Date posted: October 29, 2019

Tom Russotti

In a moment where Turkey is under international scrutiny for its recent military incursion into Syria, The Turkish Cultural Center hosted its 10th annual friendship dinner at Baku Palace in Sheepshead Bay on Thursday evening.

The annual dinner celebrates and strengthens civic ties within the Turkish diaspora and with the United States; last night was no different save the sobering theme of the proceedings: Turkish human rights violations.

Upon entering the reception, visitors were greeted with images of recent deceased dissidents, imprisoned and killed by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, their names and cause of death written below.

Photo by Tsubasa Berg

Hafza Girdap, spokesperson for Advocates of Silenced Turkey,  explained part of her organization’s work as that of giving recognition and voice to the victims of the regime. She and others from the nonprofit, founded in the U.S. by Turkish exiles, are also lobbying the European Union court of justice to take up the cases of their countrymen purged during the coup of 2016.

Amongst the standard decor and scheduled rhythm of an awards dinner, the event unfurled, blending awards and recognition of community service with political commentary.

The keynote speaker, Alon Ben Weir , an NYU professor of international relations who worked as an Israeli negotiator with Turkey for over 20 years, discussed his shock at the path Erdogan has taken. He never imagined someone who enacted many social and economic reforms,  tripling Turkey’s GDP in the process, would devolve into an autocrat who has dismantled core democratic systems in order to consolidate power.

Alon Ben Weir , an NYU professor of international relations who worked as an Israeli negotiator with Turkey for over 20 years, discussed his shock at the path Erdogan has taken. Photo by Tsubasa Berg.

Weir’s hypothesis is that Erdogan is who he says he is: a man bent on restoring Turkey to a world power akin to the days of the Ottoman Empire.

While he expressed skepticism that the Trump regime would do anything to play realpolitik with Erdogan to walk back his autocratic overreach, Weir also offered hope in that Trump and Erodogan would eventually be gone, and that the real power of Turkey and the United States lay in its people, and their ability to connect and affect change.

Ultimately this was the purpose of the evening, to continue to foster understanding within the US and Turkish communities, especially in these difficult times.

Source: https://www.kingscountypolitics.com/turkish-human-rights-violations-put-under-microscope/ , October 28, 2019


Related News

Islamic scholar Gülen files libel case against PM Erdoğan

Gülen’s lawyer Nurullah Albayrak said on Monday that Erdoğan moved beyond borders of freedom of expression and used excessively harsh insults against the Islamic scholar. Gülen is demanding TL 100,000 in compensation for the allegedly denigrating remarks.

Gov’t attack on Bank Asya taints Turkey’s image

Attempts by the Turkish government to sink Bank Asya have tainted Turkey’s image, according to French-based Institute for Research on the International Economy expert Deniz Ünal, speaking to the Cihan news agency.

Arbitrary rule in Turkey

ABDULLAH BOZKURT On Nov. 18, in a Cabinet meeting that lasted more than seven hours, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed the ban on private prep schools with his ministers for almost four hours. The meeting came only four days after the draft bill on the ban was leaked to Turkey’s largest circulated paper Zaman. […]

Turkish Cultural Center Vermont opened it doors at a ceremony held in Burlington

Turkish Cultural Center Vermont opened it doors at a ceremony held in Burlington on Wednesday with the participation of Governor Peter Shumlin, many state politicians, community members, and businessmen.

A Turkish couple spent their wedding day feeding 4,000 Syrian refugees

Hatice Avci, a spokesperson for aid organisation Kimse Yok Mu, told i100.co.uk that last Thursday the newlyweds donated the savings their families had put together for a party to share their wedding celebrations with the refugees living in and around the town of Kilis.

GYV praised for response to accusations about Hizmet movement

GYV Chairman Mustafa Yeşil said the foundation has received very positive reactions to its 11-article statement, adding that many people found the statement an “honorable” and “courteous” one. AK Party Adıyaman deputy Mehmet Metiner said by releasing Tuesday’s statement, the GYV has taken a very valuable step that “spoils the games of some evil circles that want to create hostility between the government and the Hizmet movement.”

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

Operation and crossroads: Hizmet movement falsely accused

Islamism is dead!

Erdoğan draws ire from all segments of society over bid to close Turkish schools

Shutting down prep schools against free enterprise, analysts say

GYV Presient Yesil: We knock on all doors

Turkish entrepreneurs open university in Bucharest

A road less traveled

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News