Turkey’s government calls student protesters 'terrorists'
For Turkey’s ruling AK Party, which has in the past been supported by the US, EU and NATO, any critic is now a “terrorist.”
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
Turkey’s far-right ruling party, which has imprisoned journalists and dissidents, continued its extremist slide on Thursday, calling student protesters “terrorists.” This is the latest group on Turkey’s list of “terrorists” after removing 60 of 65 opposition HDP mayors and imprisoning, or charging critics on Twitter and journalists as “terrorists.” For Turkey’s ruling AK Party, which has in the past been supported by the US, EU and NATO, any critic is now a “terrorist.” The latest outburst in Ankara comes from the Ministry of Foreign Relations which has now attacked peaceful student protests as “terrorists.” The statement came after days in which Turkey’s leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, bashed gay activists and condemned LGBT student protesters.
Turkey’s ruling party has called gay people “deviants” and supported religious extremists who claimed gays spread “disease.” Turkey’s government, despite being a member of NATO and an ally of the US, and wanting to join the EU, is one of the most authoritarian in the world and has put the most journalists in prison, and frequently bashes gay rights. The current US administration has been following the student protests and is concerned about Turkey’s extremist rhetoric. Twitter even flagged a tweet by Turkey’s far-right interior minister in which he bashed gay activists.
more............ https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/turkeys-government-calls-student-protesters-terrorists-657869
For Turkey’s ruling AK Party, which has in the past been supported by the US, EU and NATO, any critic is now a “terrorist.”
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
Turkey’s far-right ruling party, which has imprisoned journalists and dissidents, continued its extremist slide on Thursday, calling student protesters “terrorists.” This is the latest group on Turkey’s list of “terrorists” after removing 60 of 65 opposition HDP mayors and imprisoning, or charging critics on Twitter and journalists as “terrorists.” For Turkey’s ruling AK Party, which has in the past been supported by the US, EU and NATO, any critic is now a “terrorist.” The latest outburst in Ankara comes from the Ministry of Foreign Relations which has now attacked peaceful student protests as “terrorists.” The statement came after days in which Turkey’s leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, bashed gay activists and condemned LGBT student protesters.
Turkey’s ruling party has called gay people “deviants” and supported religious extremists who claimed gays spread “disease.” Turkey’s government, despite being a member of NATO and an ally of the US, and wanting to join the EU, is one of the most authoritarian in the world and has put the most journalists in prison, and frequently bashes gay rights. The current US administration has been following the student protests and is concerned about Turkey’s extremist rhetoric. Twitter even flagged a tweet by Turkey’s far-right interior minister in which he bashed gay activists.
more............ https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/turkeys-government-calls-student-protesters-terrorists-657869
