Turkish Presdent losing litmus test ?

Recep Tayyip Erdogan loses control of Ankara in Turkish elections

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnam-woman-in-kim-jong-uns-half-brother-murder-case-accepts-new-charge-likely-to-walk-free-207086">Vietnam woman in Kim Jong-un's half-brother murder case accepts </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnam-woman-in-kim-jong-uns-half-brother-murder-case-accepts-new-charge-likely-to-walk-free-207086">new</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnam-woman-in-kim-jong-uns-half-brother-murder-case-accepts-new-charge-likely-to-walk-free-207086"> charge, likely to walk free</a>

A Vietnamese woman suspected of assassinating the North Korean leader's half-brother accepted a lesser charge Monday and looks set to be freed soon, after her Indonesian co-accused was released last month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-to-launch-defence-satellite-pslv-c45-from-sriharikota-today-207087">ISRO to launch defence satellite PSLV-C45 from Sriharikota today</a>

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch&nbsp;PSLV-C45&nbsp;from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at around 9:30 am today.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-4-let-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-with-security-forces-207071">J&amp;K: 4 LeT terrorists killed in </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-4-let-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-with-security-forces-207071">encounter</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-4-let-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-with-security-forces-207071"> with security forces</a>

Four terrorists belonging to the&nbsp;Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. The terrorists were killed following an encounter in Lassipora area of Pulwama district.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-president-erdogans-ruling-akp-set-for-defeat-in-ankara-vote-207066">Turkish President Erdogan's ruling AKP suffers </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-president-erdogans-ruling-akp-set-for-defeat-in-ankara-vote-207066">setback</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-president-erdogans-ruling-akp-set-for-defeat-in-ankara-vote-207066"> in Ankara's local election</a>

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP suffered a major blow in Sunday's local election with the ruling party set to lose the capital Ankara and risking defeat in the&nbsp;country's economic hub Istanbul.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/arabs-to-seek-un-security-council-action-on-golan-heights-207067">Arabs to seek UN Security Council action on Golan Heights&nbsp;</a>

Arab leaders said on Sunday they would seek a UN Security Council resolution against the US decision to recognize&nbsp;Israeli sovereignty&nbsp;over the Golan Heights and promised to support Palestinians in their bid for statehood.

Vietnam woman in Kim Jong-un's half-brother murder case accepts new charge, likely to walk free A Vietnamese woman suspected of assassinating the North Korean leader's half-brother accepted a lesser charge Monday and looks set to be freed soon, after her Indonesian co-accused was released last month.

Vietnam woman in Kim Jong-un's half-brother murder case accepts new charge, likely to walk free A Vietnamese woman suspected of assassinating the North Korean leader's half-brother accepted a lesser charge Monday and looks set to be freed soon, after her Indonesian co-accused was released last month. ISRO to launch defence satellite PSLV-C45 from Sriharikota today The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch PSLV-C45 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at around 9:30 am today. J&K: 4 LeT terrorists killed in encounter with security forces Four terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. The terrorists were killed following an encounter in Lassipora area of Pulwama district. Turkish President Erdogan's ruling AKP suffers setback in Ankara's local election Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP suffered a major blow in Sunday's local election with the ruling party set to lose the capital Ankara and risking defeat in the country's economic hub Istanbul. Arabs to seek UN Security Council action on Golan Heights Arab leaders said on Sunday they would seek a UN Security Council resolution against the US decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and promised to support Palestinians in their bid for statehood.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Turks voted on Sunday in local elections which <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-fights-to-hold-turkeys-cities-in-bitter-election-battle-206553">President Tayyip Erdogan</a> has described as a matter of survival for Turkey and which were marred by violence that left two party members dead in the country's southeast.

Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than 16 years thanks in part to strong economic growth, has become the country's most popular, yet also most divisive, leader in modern history.

However, he could be dealt an electoral blow with polls indicating his ruling AK Party (AKP) may lose control of the capital Ankara, and even Istanbul, the country's largest city.

With the economy contracting following a currency crisis last year in which the lira lost more than 30 per cent of its value, some voters appeared ready to punish Erdogan, who has ruled with an increasingly uncompromising stance.

"I was actually not going to vote today, but when I saw how much they (AKP) were flailing, I thought this might be time to land them a blow. Everyone is unhappy. Everyone is struggling," said 47-year-old Hakan after voting in Ankara.

Voting started at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) in eastern Turkey and an hour later in the rest of the country. Polling stations close at 4 p.m. in the east and 5 p.m. in the west.

Just over 57 million people are eligible to vote. A clear picture of the winners will probably emerge around midnight.

This week, as authorities again scrambled to shore up the lira, Erdogan cast the country's economic woes as resulting from attacks by the West, saying Turkey would overcome its troubles following Sunday's vote and adding he was "the boss" of the economy.

"The aim behind the increasing attacks towards our country ahead of the elections is to block the road of the big, strong Turkey," Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul on Saturday.

Sunday's elections, in which Turks vote for mayors and other local officials across the country, are the first since Erdogan assumed sweeping presidential powers last year and will be a reckoning for his government, which has come under fire for its economic policies and record on human rights.

Symbolic blow

Defeat in Ankara or Istanbul would end nearly a quarter of a century of rule by Erdogan's AKP or its predecessors in those cities and deal a symbolic blow to Turkey's leader.

Ahead of the vote, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Iyi (Good) Party formed an electoral alliance to rival that of the AKP and its nationalist MHP partners.

The pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), which Erdogan has accused of links to Kurdish militants, has not made an official alliance and is not fielding candidates for mayor in Istanbul or Ankara, which is likely to benefit the CHP.

The HDP denies links to the outlawed militant Kurdistan Workers' Party. Two years ago, the state took control of about 100 municipalities from an HDP-affiliated party and some voters in the main southeastern city of Diyarbakir said services there had improved as a result.

"Before, this city did not have the services I have now seen. I gave my vote to the AK Party for services to continue," said tradesman Haci Ahmet Beyaz, 43.

The election was marred by violence in the southeast.

Two members of the small Islamist Felicity Party, a polling station official and an election observer, were shot dead in Malatya province, a party spokesman said. Media reports said one person had been detained.

In Diyarbakir, two people were wounded and one of them was in critical condition after being stabbed in a dispute between candidates, a hospital source said.

The government took extensive security measures, with 553,000 police and other security forces on duty for the vote.

In the days leading up to the vote, Erdogan held around 100 rallies across the country, speaking 14 times in different districts of Istanbul over the past two days alone and more than four times in Ankara throughout his campaign.

He has described the elections as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his rivals as terrorist supporters aiming to topple the country. He has warned that if the opposition candidate wins in Ankara, residents would "pay a price".

His opponents have denied the accusations and challenged his characterisation of the elections as a matter of survival, saying Erdogan had led the country to its current state.

"What matter of survival? We're electing mayors. What does this have to do with the country's survival?" Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the CHP, told a rally in Eskisehir.

With reference to Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu said: "If there is a survival issue in Turkey, it's because of you."

Turks voted on Sunday in local elections which President Tayyip Erdogan has described as a matter of survival for Turkey and which were marred by violence that left two party members dead in the country's southeast.

Turks voted on Sunday in local elections which President Tayyip Erdogan has described as a matter of survival for Turkey and which were marred by violence that left two party members dead in the country's southeast. Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than 16 years thanks in part to strong economic growth, has become the country's most popular, yet also most divisive, leader in modern history. However, he could be dealt an electoral blow with polls indicating his ruling AK Party (AKP) may lose control of the capital Ankara, and even Istanbul, the country's largest city. With the economy contracting following a currency crisis last year in which the lira lost more than 30 per cent of its value, some voters appeared ready to punish Erdogan, who has ruled with an increasingly uncompromising stance. "I was actually not going to vote today, but when I saw how much they (AKP) were flailing, I thought this might be time to land them a blow. Everyone is unhappy. Everyone is struggling," said 47-year-old Hakan after voting in Ankara. Voting started at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) in eastern Turkey and an hour later in the rest of the country. Polling stations close at 4 p.m. in the east and 5 p.m. in the west. Just over 57 million people are eligible to vote. A clear picture of the winners will probably emerge around midnight. This week, as authorities again scrambled to shore up the lira, Erdogan cast the country's economic woes as resulting from attacks by the West, saying Turkey would overcome its troubles following Sunday's vote and adding he was "the boss" of the economy. "The aim behind the increasing attacks towards our country ahead of the elections is to block the road of the big, strong Turkey," Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul on Saturday. Sunday's elections, in which Turks vote for mayors and other local officials across the country, are the first since Erdogan assumed sweeping presidential powers last year and will be a reckoning for his government, which has come under fire for its economic policies and record on human rights. Symbolic blow Defeat in Ankara or Istanbul would end nearly a quarter of a century of rule by Erdogan's AKP or its predecessors in those cities and deal a symbolic blow to Turkey's leader. Ahead of the vote, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Iyi (Good) Party formed an electoral alliance to rival that of the AKP and its nationalist MHP partners. The pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), which Erdogan has accused of links to Kurdish militants, has not made an official alliance and is not fielding candidates for mayor in Istanbul or Ankara, which is likely to benefit the CHP. The HDP denies links to the outlawed militant Kurdistan Workers' Party. Two years ago, the state took control of about 100 municipalities from an HDP-affiliated party and some voters in the main southeastern city of Diyarbakir said services there had improved as a result. "Before, this city did not have the services I have now seen. I gave my vote to the AK Party for services to continue," said tradesman Haci Ahmet Beyaz, 43. The election was marred by violence in the southeast. Two members of the small Islamist Felicity Party, a polling station official and an election observer, were shot dead in Malatya province, a party spokesman said. Media reports said one person had been detained. In Diyarbakir, two people were wounded and one of them was in critical condition after being stabbed in a dispute between candidates, a hospital source said. The government took extensive security measures, with 553,000 police and other security forces on duty for the vote. In the days leading up to the vote, Erdogan held around 100 rallies across the country, speaking 14 times in different districts of Istanbul over the past two days alone and more than four times in Ankara throughout his campaign. He has described the elections as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his rivals as terrorist supporters aiming to topple the country. He has warned that if the opposition candidate wins in Ankara, residents would "pay a price". His opponents have denied the accusations and challenged his characterisation of the elections as a matter of survival, saying Erdogan had led the country to its current state. "What matter of survival? We're electing mayors. What does this have to do with the country's survival?" Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the CHP, told a rally in Eskisehir. With reference to Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu said: "If there is a survival issue in Turkey, it's because of you."

Turks vote in local polls, Erdogan's party could lose in big cities

Turkey will solve the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-ally-declares-islamic-state-defeated-caliphate-eliminated-205019">Syria</a> issue "on the field" after Sunday's local elections, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday, as he sought to drum up support for his AK Party in the vote.

Turkey has carried out two cross-border operations against Kurdish militants in northern Syria and has warned that it will launch further incursions if the threats along its borders are not eliminated.

"First thing after the elections, we will solve the Syria issue on the field if possible, not at the table," Erdogan told supporters in the first of his six rallies in Istanbul.

Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey's all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds.

Erdogan has ruled Turkey for 16 years with an ever-tightening grip and his June 2018 national election victory vastly expanded his presidential powers, alarming Western allies who fear Turkey is drifting deeper into authoritarianism.

But the 65-year-old president could be brought down to earth on Sunday when Turks vote in municipal elections which threaten to inflict the first defeat for his Islamist-rooted AK Party in Ankara or the country's biggest city and business hub, Istanbul.

Erdogan has portrayed the vote as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his domestic opponents as terrorist supporters and even invoking the New Zealand mosque killings as examples of the broader threats he says Turkey faces.

Turkey will solve the Syria issue "on the field" after Sunday's local elections, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday, as he sought to drum up support for his AK Party in the vote.

Turkey will solve the Syria issue "on the field" after Sunday's local elections, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday, as he sought to drum up support for his AK Party in the vote. Turkey has carried out two cross-border operations against Kurdish militants in northern Syria and has warned that it will launch further incursions if the threats along its borders are not eliminated. "First thing after the elections, we will solve the Syria issue on the field if possible, not at the table," Erdogan told supporters in the first of his six rallies in Istanbul. Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey's all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds. Erdogan has ruled Turkey for 16 years with an ever-tightening grip and his June 2018 national election victory vastly expanded his presidential powers, alarming Western allies who fear Turkey is drifting deeper into authoritarianism. But the 65-year-old president could be brought down to earth on Sunday when Turks vote in municipal elections which threaten to inflict the first defeat for his Islamist-rooted AK Party in Ankara or the country's biggest city and business hub, Istanbul. Erdogan has portrayed the vote as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his domestic opponents as terrorist supporters and even invoking the New Zealand mosque killings as examples of the broader threats he says Turkey faces.

Turkey will solve Syria issue 'on field, not at table': Erdogan

Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey`s all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds.

Erdogan has ruled Turkey for 16 years with an ever-tightening grip and his June 2018 national election victory vastly expanded his presidential powers, alarming Western allies who fear Turkey is drifting deeper into authoritarianism.

But the 65-year-old president could be brought down to earth on Sunday when Turks vote in municipal elections which threaten to inflict the first defeat for his Islamist-rooted AK Party in Ankara or the country`s biggest city and business hub, Istanbul.&nbsp;

Erdogan has portrayed the vote as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his domestic opponents as terrorist supporters and even invoking the New Zealand mosque killings as examples of the broader threats he says Turkey faces.

"It is a matter of survival against those who want to divide this country and tear it to pieces," he told hundreds of cheering supporters at a rally earlier this month in central Istanbul`s Eyup Sultan district, next to a 19th-century mosque.

He has toured the country for weeks speaking up to eight times a day - a punishing routine which showcased the supreme campaigning skills that have made him the most popular and powerful leader since modern Turkey`s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

It also highlighted, his critics say, Erdogan`s growing reliance on divisive rhetoric since a currency crisis in August ended years of strong economic growth which had helped deliver successive election wins for his AKP, attracting support from well beyond its conservative Muslim core.

A steep fall in the lira last Friday revived memories of last year`s meltdown, and provoked a flurry of stop-gap measures to halt a slump on the eve of voting which could erode support.

For many Turks, the vote is all about whether Erdogan can still deliver a decent standard of living.&nbsp;

"A crushing majority of people - including of course voters from the government party and its partners - think the economy is the number one problem in Turkey," said political analyst Murat Yetkin.&nbsp;

Some polls give the main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) candidate in Ankara, Mansur Yavas, a lead over his AKP rival. In Istanbul, where the AKP is fielding former prime minister Binali Yildirim, the race appears close with the CHP.&nbsp;

Other cities may also be seized by the secularist opposition party.

REFERENDUM ON ERDOGAN

Analysts caution against reading too much into polling data - Erdogan won a first-round presidential victory last year, defying many expectations - and even if the AKP were to lose, it would not diminish the president`s official powers.

But those very powers that he assumed last year leave him increasingly exposed when things go wrong.

"The whole system has been so centralised around one individual that even a municipal election is a referendum on Erdogan himself," said Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of Teneo political risk advisers.

Defeat in either city would bring to an end a quarter century of rule by Erdogan`s AKP and its Islamist predecessors, and deal a symbolic blow to a leader who launched his career in local politics and served as mayor of Istanbul in the 1990s.

For two months he has addressed rally after rally, repeating well-honed presentations that include campaign songs, gifts of tea to supporters and lists of AKP achievements from garbage clearing to home building and infrastructure mega-projects.&nbsp;

Overwhelmingly supportive media broadcast hours of live coverage. Campaign posters proclaim that Istanbul is "a love story" for the AKP, and municipal duties are a "labour of love".

But Erdogan also promises his political opponents he will "bury them in the ballot boxes" just as Turkey`s armed forces have killed militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which he regularly links to the pro-Kurdish HDP party.&nbsp;

In the speech in Eyup Sultan he said CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, an election ally of the HDP, was "arm in arm" with a terrorist organisation. "Who is behind him? Terrorists are behind him. Mr Kemal is walking together with them".

The CHP and HDP deny any links to the PKK.

To his passionate supporters, Erdogan is speaking a self-evident truth. "I see, I hear, and I believe what I see and hear - not just what Reis (the chief) says," Ismail Zeybek, a 40-year-old electrician, said at the rally.

Others say that by portraying the vote as a question of survival, the president is splitting his country. "What kind of relation could there be between local elections and existence? He is trying to win votes by polarizing," said Mert Efe, a resident of Istanbul`s Besiktas district, a CHP stronghold.

When a lone gunman opened fire in two mosques in New Zealand a fortnight ago, Erdogan said if anyone tried to come to Turkey to do harm they would be sent back "in caskets" like Australian and New Zealand troops who fought Ottoman soldiers in Gallipoli a century ago.

He repeatedly showed extracts from the gunman`s manifesto, which he said threatened Turkey and Erdogan himself, as well as blurred footage from the shooting itself - even after New Zealand`s foreign minister flew to Turkey to ask him to stop.

"Looking at the rhetoric he is using, we have never seen this before on a municipal level. It`s unprecedented," Piccoli said. "This concentration of power is running short of ideas, that is why he is pushing more and more this nationalist, religious agenda."

In the final days of campaigning Erdogan also revived calls for Istanbul`s Hagia Sophia museum - the foremost cathedral in Christendom for 900 years and then one of Islam`s greatest mosques for 500 years until 1935 - to become a mosque again.

FOUR MORE YEARS?

After winning a 2017 referendum on his powerful executive presidency, and then last year`s hard-fought parliamentary and presidential elections, Erdogan could in theory enjoy the next four years free from electoral challenge.

A poor showing on Sunday, however, would strain his parliamentary alliance with the nationalist MHP party, raising the possibility that Erdogan could be back on the campaign trail sooner than the next scheduled national elections in 2023.

If the AKP suffers a "large-scale shock" involving the loss of both Ankara and Istanbul, or saw the share of the vote taken by the AKP/MHP alliance fall well below 50 per cent, it would be a clear sign that Erdogan`s party is on the wane, said Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and analyst at Carnegie Europe.&nbsp;

"That would have consequences over time. It would make it more difficult to hold onto power through 2023, especially given that this perceived political weakness would be combined with the economic slowdown," Ulgen said.

If the vote does not go the way Erdogan hopes, he will be faced with a more immediate decision on Sunday night.&nbsp;

Asked whether he plans to address supporters again as he did triumphantly from his AKP headquarters in Ankara last June, Erdogan said his balcony speech had become an election night tradition.

"We did this in every election. I think it would not be right if we didn`t do it at this election. But we have not sat down with colleagues to make this decision yet."

Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey`s all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds.

Less than a year after Tayyip Erdogan celebrated election triumph with fireworks in Ankara, Turkey`s all-powerful leader faces the embarrassment of losing his capital in local polls marred by bitter campaign rhetoric and economic storm clouds. Erdogan has ruled Turkey for 16 years with an ever-tightening grip and his June 2018 national election victory vastly expanded his presidential powers, alarming Western allies who fear Turkey is drifting deeper into authoritarianism. But the 65-year-old president could be brought down to earth on Sunday when Turks vote in municipal elections which threaten to inflict the first defeat for his Islamist-rooted AK Party in Ankara or the country`s biggest city and business hub, Istanbul. Erdogan has portrayed the vote as an existential choice for Turkey, blasting his domestic opponents as terrorist supporters and even invoking the New Zealand mosque killings as examples of the broader threats he says Turkey faces. "It is a matter of survival against those who want to divide this country and tear it to pieces," he told hundreds of cheering supporters at a rally earlier this month in central Istanbul`s Eyup Sultan district, next to a 19th-century mosque. He has toured the country for weeks speaking up to eight times a day - a punishing routine which showcased the supreme campaigning skills that have made him the most popular and powerful leader since modern Turkey`s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. It also highlighted, his critics say, Erdogan`s growing reliance on divisive rhetoric since a currency crisis in August ended years of strong economic growth which had helped deliver successive election wins for his AKP, attracting support from well beyond its conservative Muslim core. A steep fall in the lira last Friday revived memories of last year`s meltdown, and provoked a flurry of stop-gap measures to halt a slump on the eve of voting which could erode support. For many Turks, the vote is all about whether Erdogan can still deliver a decent standard of living. "A crushing majority of people - including of course voters from the government party and its partners - think the economy is the number one problem in Turkey," said political analyst Murat Yetkin. Some polls give the main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) candidate in Ankara, Mansur Yavas, a lead over his AKP rival. In Istanbul, where the AKP is fielding former prime minister Binali Yildirim, the race appears close with the CHP. Other cities may also be seized by the secularist opposition party. REFERENDUM ON ERDOGAN Analysts caution against reading too much into polling data - Erdogan won a first-round presidential victory last year, defying many expectations - and even if the AKP were to lose, it would not diminish the president`s official powers. But those very powers that he assumed last year leave him increasingly exposed when things go wrong. "The whole system has been so centralised around one individual that even a municipal election is a referendum on Erdogan himself," said Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of Teneo political risk advisers. Defeat in either city would bring to an end a quarter century of rule by Erdogan`s AKP and its Islamist predecessors, and deal a symbolic blow to a leader who launched his career in local politics and served as mayor of Istanbul in the 1990s. For two months he has addressed rally after rally, repeating well-honed presentations that include campaign songs, gifts of tea to supporters and lists of AKP achievements from garbage clearing to home building and infrastructure mega-projects. Overwhelmingly supportive media broadcast hours of live coverage. Campaign posters proclaim that Istanbul is "a love story" for the AKP, and municipal duties are a "labour of love". But Erdogan also promises his political opponents he will "bury them in the ballot boxes" just as Turkey`s armed forces have killed militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which he regularly links to the pro-Kurdish HDP party. In the speech in Eyup Sultan he said CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, an election ally of the HDP, was "arm in arm" with a terrorist organisation. "Who is behind him? Terrorists are behind him. Mr Kemal is walking together with them". The CHP and HDP deny any links to the PKK. To his passionate supporters, Erdogan is speaking a self-evident truth. "I see, I hear, and I believe what I see and hear - not just what Reis (the chief) says," Ismail Zeybek, a 40-year-old electrician, said at the rally. Others say that by portraying the vote as a question of survival, the president is splitting his country. "What kind of relation could there be between local elections and existence? He is trying to win votes by polarizing," said Mert Efe, a resident of Istanbul`s Besiktas district, a CHP stronghold. When a lone gunman opened fire in two mosques in New Zealand a fortnight ago, Erdogan said if anyone tried to come to Turkey to do harm they would be sent back "in caskets" like Australian and New Zealand troops who fought Ottoman soldiers in Gallipoli a century ago. He repeatedly showed extracts from the gunman`s manifesto, which he said threatened Turkey and Erdogan himself, as well as blurred footage from the shooting itself - even after New Zealand`s foreign minister flew to Turkey to ask him to stop. "Looking at the rhetoric he is using, we have never seen this before on a municipal level. It`s unprecedented," Piccoli said. "This concentration of power is running short of ideas, that is why he is pushing more and more this nationalist, religious agenda." In the final days of campaigning Erdogan also revived calls for Istanbul`s Hagia Sophia museum - the foremost cathedral in Christendom for 900 years and then one of Islam`s greatest mosques for 500 years until 1935 - to become a mosque again. FOUR MORE YEARS? After winning a 2017 referendum on his powerful executive presidency, and then last year`s hard-fought parliamentary and presidential elections, Erdogan could in theory enjoy the next four years free from electoral challenge. A poor showing on Sunday, however, would strain his parliamentary alliance with the nationalist MHP party, raising the possibility that Erdogan could be back on the campaign trail sooner than the next scheduled national elections in 2023. If the AKP suffers a "large-scale shock" involving the loss of both Ankara and Istanbul, or saw the share of the vote taken by the AKP/MHP alliance fall well below 50 per cent, it would be a clear sign that Erdogan`s party is on the wane, said Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and analyst at Carnegie Europe. "That would have consequences over time. It would make it more difficult to hold onto power through 2023, especially given that this perceived political weakness would be combined with the economic slowdown," Ulgen said. If the vote does not go the way Erdogan hopes, he will be faced with a more immediate decision on Sunday night. Asked whether he plans to address supporters again as he did triumphantly from his AKP headquarters in Ankara last June, Erdogan said his balcony speech had become an election night tradition. "We did this in every election. I think it would not be right if we didn`t do it at this election. But we have not sat down with colleagues to make this decision yet."

Erdogan fights to hold Turkey's cities in bitter election battle

Strong winds lift man meters off ground

When Turkish vice-president Fuat Oktay and foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu became this weekend the first high-level foreign government delegation to travel to Christchurch they were doing more than expressing solidarity with New Zealand's grieving Muslim community.

Oktay and Cavusoglu were planting Turkey's flag far and wide in a global effort to expand beyond the Turkic and former Ottoman world support for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's style of religiously-packaged authoritarian rule, a marriage of Islam and Turkish nationalism.

Showing footage of the rampage in Christchurch at a rally ahead of March 31 local elections, Erdogan declared that “There is a benefit in watching this on the screen. Remnants of the Crusaders cannot prevent Turkey’s rise.”

Erdogan went on to say that “We have been here for 1,000 years and God willing we will be until doomsday. You will not be able to make Istanbul Constantinople. Your ancestors came and saw that we were here. Some of them returned on foot and some returned in coffins. If you come with the same intent, we will be waiting for you too.”

Erdogan was responding to an assertion by Brenton Tarrant, the white supremacist perpetrator of the Christchurch attacks in which 50 people were killed in two mosques, that Turks were “ethnic soldiers currently occupying Europe.”

Oktay and Cavusoglu’s visit, two days after the attacks, is one more facet of a Turkish campaign that employs religious as well as traditional diplomatic tools.

The campaign aims to establish Turkey as a leader of the Muslim world in competition with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and to a lesser degree Morocco.

As part of the campaign, Turkey has positioned itself as a cheerleader for Muslim causes such as Jerusalem and the Rohingya at a moment that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Muslim nations are taking a step back.

Although cautious not to rupture relations with Beijing, Turkey has also breached the wall of silence maintained by the vast majority of Muslim countries by speaking out against China’s brutal crackdown on Turkic Muslims in the troubled north-western province of Xinjiang.

Erdogan’s religious and traditional diplomatic effort has seen Turkey build grand mosques and/or cultural centres across the globe in the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and Asia, finance religious education and restore Ottoman heritage sites.

It has pressured governments in Africa and Asia to hand over schools operated by the Hizmet movement led by exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan holds Gulen responsible for the failed military coup in Turkey in 2016.

On the diplomatic front, Turkey has in recent years opened at least 26 embassies in Africa, expanded the Turkish Airlines network to 55 destinations in Africa, established military bases in Somalia and Qatar, and negotiated a long-term lease for Sudan’s Suakin Island in the Red Sea.

The Turkish religious campaign takes a leaf out of Saudi Arabia's four decades long, $100 billion effort to globally propagate ultra-conservative Sunni Islam.&nbsp;

Like the Saudis, Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) provides services to Muslim communities, organises pilgrimages to Mecca, trains religious personnel, publishes religious literature, translates the Qur’an into local languages and funds students from across the world to study Islam at Turkish institutions.

Turkish Muslim NGOs provide humanitarian assistance in former parts of the Ottoman empire, the Middle East and Africa much like the Saudi-led World Muslim League and other Saudi governmental -non-governmental organisations, many of which have been shut down since the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.

Saudi Arabia, since the rise of crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2015, has significantly reduced global funding for ultra-conservatism.

Nonetheless, Turkey is at loggerheads with Saudi Arabia as well as the UAE over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi; Turkish support for Qatar in its dispute with the Saudis and Emiratis; differences over Libya, Syria and the Kurds; and Ankara’s activist foreign policy. Turkey is seeking to position itself as an Islamic alternative.

Decades of Saudi funding has left the kingdom’s imprint on the global Muslim community. Yet, Turkey’s current struggles with Saudi Arabia are more geopolitical than ideological.

While Turkey competes geopolitically with the UAE in the Horn of Africa, Libya and Syria, ideologically the two countries’ rivalry is between the UAE’s effort to establish itself as a centre of a quietist, apolitical Islam as opposed to Turkey’s activist approach and its support for the Muslim Brotherhood.

In contrast to Saudi Arabia that adheres to Wahhabism, an austere ultra-conservative interpretation of the faith, the UAE projects itself and its religiosity as far more modern, tolerant and forward-looking.

The UAE’s projection goes beyond Prince Mohammed’s attempt to shave off the raw edges of Wahhabism in an attempt to present himself as a proponent of what he has termed moderate Islam.

 
The UAE scored a significant success with the first-ever papal visit in February by Pope Francis during which he signed a document on human fraternity with Sheikh Ahmad al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar, the revered 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning.

 
The signing was the result of UAE-funded efforts of Egyptian general-turned-president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to depoliticise Islam and gain control of Al Azhar that Sheikh Al-Tayeb resisted despite supporting Al-Sisi’s 2013 military coup.

To enhance its influence within Al Azhar and counter that of Saudi Araba, the UAE has funded Egyptian universities and hospitals and has encouraged Al Azhar to open a branch in the UAE.

The UAE effort paid off when the pope, in a public address, thanked Egyptian judge Mohamed Abdel Salam, an advisor to Sheikh Al-Tayeb who is believed to be close to both the Emiratis and Al-Sisi, for drafting the declaration. “Abdel Salam enabled Al-Sisi to outmanoeuvre Al Azhar in the struggle for reform,” said an influential activist.

The Turkey-UAE rivalry has spilt from the geopolitical and ideological into competing versions of Islamic history. 
&nbsp;

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

When Turkish vice-president Fuat Oktay and foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu became this weekend the first high-level foreign government delegation to travel to Christchurch they were doing more than expressing solidarity with New Zealand's grieving Muslim community.

When Turkish vice-president Fuat Oktay and foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu became this weekend the first high-level foreign government delegation to travel to Christchurch they were doing more than expressing solidarity with New Zealand's grieving Muslim community. Oktay and Cavusoglu were planting Turkey's flag far and wide in a global effort to expand beyond the Turkic and former Ottoman world support for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's style of religiously-packaged authoritarian rule, a marriage of Islam and Turkish nationalism. Showing footage of the rampage in Christchurch at a rally ahead of March 31 local elections, Erdogan declared that “There is a benefit in watching this on the screen. Remnants of the Crusaders cannot prevent Turkey’s rise.” Erdogan went on to say that “We have been here for 1,000 years and God willing we will be until doomsday. You will not be able to make Istanbul Constantinople. Your ancestors came and saw that we were here. Some of them returned on foot and some returned in coffins. If you come with the same intent, we will be waiting for you too.” Erdogan was responding to an assertion by Brenton Tarrant, the white supremacist perpetrator of the Christchurch attacks in which 50 people were killed in two mosques, that Turks were “ethnic soldiers currently occupying Europe.” Oktay and Cavusoglu’s visit, two days after the attacks, is one more facet of a Turkish campaign that employs religious as well as traditional diplomatic tools. The campaign aims to establish Turkey as a leader of the Muslim world in competition with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and to a lesser degree Morocco. As part of the campaign, Turkey has positioned itself as a cheerleader for Muslim causes such as Jerusalem and the Rohingya at a moment that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Muslim nations are taking a step back. Although cautious not to rupture relations with Beijing, Turkey has also breached the wall of silence maintained by the vast majority of Muslim countries by speaking out against China’s brutal crackdown on Turkic Muslims in the troubled north-western province of Xinjiang. Erdogan’s religious and traditional diplomatic effort has seen Turkey build grand mosques and/or cultural centres across the globe in the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and Asia, finance religious education and restore Ottoman heritage sites. It has pressured governments in Africa and Asia to hand over schools operated by the Hizmet movement led by exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan holds Gulen responsible for the failed military coup in Turkey in 2016. On the diplomatic front, Turkey has in recent years opened at least 26 embassies in Africa, expanded the Turkish Airlines network to 55 destinations in Africa, established military bases in Somalia and Qatar, and negotiated a long-term lease for Sudan’s Suakin Island in the Red Sea. The Turkish religious campaign takes a leaf out of Saudi Arabia's four decades long, $100 billion effort to globally propagate ultra-conservative Sunni Islam. Like the Saudis, Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) provides services to Muslim communities, organises pilgrimages to Mecca, trains religious personnel, publishes religious literature, translates the Qur’an into local languages and funds students from across the world to study Islam at Turkish institutions. Turkish Muslim NGOs provide humanitarian assistance in former parts of the Ottoman empire, the Middle East and Africa much like the Saudi-led World Muslim League and other Saudi governmental -non-governmental organisations, many of which have been shut down since the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. Saudi Arabia, since the rise of crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2015, has significantly reduced global funding for ultra-conservatism. Nonetheless, Turkey is at loggerheads with Saudi Arabia as well as the UAE over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi; Turkish support for Qatar in its dispute with the Saudis and Emiratis; differences over Libya, Syria and the Kurds; and Ankara’s activist foreign policy. Turkey is seeking to position itself as an Islamic alternative. Decades of Saudi funding has left the kingdom’s imprint on the global Muslim community. Yet, Turkey’s current struggles with Saudi Arabia are more geopolitical than ideological. While Turkey competes geopolitically with the UAE in the Horn of Africa, Libya and Syria, ideologically the two countries’ rivalry is between the UAE’s effort to establish itself as a centre of a quietist, apolitical Islam as opposed to Turkey’s activist approach and its support for the Muslim Brotherhood. In contrast to Saudi Arabia that adheres to Wahhabism, an austere ultra-conservative interpretation of the faith, the UAE projects itself and its religiosity as far more modern, tolerant and forward-looking. The UAE’s projection goes beyond Prince Mohammed’s attempt to shave off the raw edges of Wahhabism in an attempt to present himself as a proponent of what he has termed moderate Islam. The UAE scored a significant success with the first-ever papal visit in February by Pope Francis during which he signed a document on human fraternity with Sheikh Ahmad al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar, the revered 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning. The signing was the result of UAE-funded efforts of Egyptian general-turned-president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to depoliticise Islam and gain control of Al Azhar that Sheikh Al-Tayeb resisted despite supporting Al-Sisi’s 2013 military coup. To enhance its influence within Al Azhar and counter that of Saudi Araba, the UAE has funded Egyptian universities and hospitals and has encouraged Al Azhar to open a branch in the UAE. The UAE effort paid off when the pope, in a public address, thanked Egyptian judge Mohamed Abdel Salam, an advisor to Sheikh Al-Tayeb who is believed to be close to both the Emiratis and Al-Sisi, for drafting the declaration. “Abdel Salam enabled Al-Sisi to outmanoeuvre Al Azhar in the struggle for reform,” said an influential activist. The Turkey-UAE rivalry has spilt from the geopolitical and ideological into competing versions of Islamic history. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Turkey positions itself as a prominent backer of Muslim community in New Zealand

Turkey on Thursday said Interpol had issued red notices for 20 people in connection with the murder of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jamal-khashoggis-killing-a-murder-that-shook-2018-186106">Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi</a>.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jamal-khashoggi-other-journalists-are-named-time-magazines-person-of-the-year-183310">Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor </a>and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 last year.

An Interpol red notice informs the police agency's member states about a suspected criminal wanted in one country.

Turkish authorities requested red notices for 18 suspects on November 15 and for two on December 21 in 2018, the justice ministry said.

Interpol issued the notices on March 1, the ministry said on Twitter, without giving further details on the suspects.

Turkey has said the journalist was killed by a team of 15 Saudis who strangled him. His remains have yet to be found.

Eleven men are on trial in Saudi Arabia, accused of involvement in the killing. The attorney-general is seeking the death penalty for five of them.

Turkey on Thursday said Interpol had issued red notices for 20 people in connection with the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 last year.

Turkey on Thursday said Interpol had issued red notices for 20 people in connection with the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 last year. An Interpol red notice informs the police agency's member states about a suspected criminal wanted in one country. Turkish authorities requested red notices for 18 suspects on November 15 and for two on December 21 in 2018, the justice ministry said. Interpol issued the notices on March 1, the ministry said on Twitter, without giving further details on the suspects. Turkey has said the journalist was killed by a team of 15 Saudis who strangled him. His remains have yet to be found. Eleven men are on trial in Saudi Arabia, accused of involvement in the killing. The attorney-general is seeking the death penalty for five of them.

Interpol issued red notices for 20 people over Saudi journalist Khashoggi's killing: Turkey

Two German journalists on Sunday left Turkey after Ankara refused to renew their accreditation, a move condemned by Berlin as "unacceptable".

Jorg Brase, Istanbul bureau chief for ZDF public television, and Thomas Seibert, who writes for the newspaper Tagesspiegel, had their applications for press cards rejected by the Turkish government for reasons both men said remained unknown.

The two journalists had to leave Turkey within 10 days of their rejection.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday said on Twitter it was "unacceptable" that German correspondents could not do "their job freely" in Turkey.

He told Tagesspiegel it was "incompatible with our understanding of press freedom".

At a news conference in Istanbul before the two men left Turkey, Brase and Seibert accused the Turkish government of trying to "silence" international media.

"The Turkish government managed to more or less silence national media, and now they are now trying to do it with international media," Brase said.

"What we will definitely do is ... keep on reporting on Turkish issues but we will do it from outside Turkey, unfortunately."

Seibert said he had been accredited in Turkey as a correspondent since 1997.

Brase claimed the Turkish press attache in Berlin made an offer to ZDF and Tagesspiegel, suggesting they send different correspondents. But the offer was rejected, Brase added.

Brase said he was considering moving to Tehran since the Iranian government had given him the necessary paperwork to live there. He had been working in Turkey since January 2018.

The two men were due to leave Turkey on separate flights from Istanbul.

Relations between Berlin and Ankara had been strained following the failed 2016 coup and the arrest by Turkish authorities of tens of thousands of people including Germans.

But after the release of German citizens including German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel and journalist Mesale Tolu, ties improved.

It is believed around 40 foreign journalists in Turkey including German reporters are still waiting for accreditation.

German public broadcaster NDR correspondent Halil Gulbeyaz said this month his application for accreditation had also been rejected.

The German foreign ministry updated its travel advisory for Turkey on Saturday to say there was a risk that the Turkish government could "take further measures against representatives of the German media or civil society institutions".

Two German journalists on Sunday left Turkey after Ankara refused to renew their accreditation, a move condemned by Berlin as "unacceptable". Jorg Brase, Istanbul bureau chief for ZDF public television, and Thomas Seibert, who writes for the newspaper Tagesspiegel, had their applications for press cards rejected by the Turkish government for reasons both men said remained unknown.

Two German journalists on Sunday left Turkey after Ankara refused to renew their accreditation, a move condemned by Berlin as "unacceptable". Jorg Brase, Istanbul bureau chief for ZDF public television, and Thomas Seibert, who writes for the newspaper Tagesspiegel, had their applications for press cards rejected by the Turkish government for reasons both men said remained unknown. The two journalists had to leave Turkey within 10 days of their rejection. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Saturday said on Twitter it was "unacceptable" that German correspondents could not do "their job freely" in Turkey. He told Tagesspiegel it was "incompatible with our understanding of press freedom". At a news conference in Istanbul before the two men left Turkey, Brase and Seibert accused the Turkish government of trying to "silence" international media. "The Turkish government managed to more or less silence national media, and now they are now trying to do it with international media," Brase said. "What we will definitely do is ... keep on reporting on Turkish issues but we will do it from outside Turkey, unfortunately." Seibert said he had been accredited in Turkey as a correspondent since 1997. Brase claimed the Turkish press attache in Berlin made an offer to ZDF and Tagesspiegel, suggesting they send different correspondents. But the offer was rejected, Brase added. Brase said he was considering moving to Tehran since the Iranian government had given him the necessary paperwork to live there. He had been working in Turkey since January 2018. The two men were due to leave Turkey on separate flights from Istanbul. Relations between Berlin and Ankara had been strained following the failed 2016 coup and the arrest by Turkish authorities of tens of thousands of people including Germans. But after the release of German citizens including German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel and journalist Mesale Tolu, ties improved. It is believed around 40 foreign journalists in Turkey including German reporters are still waiting for accreditation. German public broadcaster NDR correspondent Halil Gulbeyaz said this month his application for accreditation had also been rejected. The German foreign ministry updated its travel advisory for Turkey on Saturday to say there was a risk that the Turkish government could "take further measures against representatives of the German media or civil society institutions".

Two German journalists forced to leave Turkey after accreditation row

A Turkish-Chinese spat as a result of Turkish criticism of China’s crackdown on Turkic Muslims in its strategic but troubled north-western province of Xinjiang complicates efforts by Kazakhstan and other Central Asian states to at best deal quietly behind closed doors with the plight of their citizens and ethnic kin in the People’s Republic.

China’s threat that the Turkish criticism of its massive surveillance and detention campaign, involving the alleged incarceration in re-education camps of up to one million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims would have economic consequences and the temporary closure of the Chinese consulate in the Mediterranean port city of Izmir serves as warnings to others in the Muslim world what could happen if they break their silence.

The Chinese effort to get the Muslim and broader international community to maintain silence, if not acquiesce in the crackdown that constitutes the most frontal assault on Islam in recent history, was boosted when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a visit to Beijing last month appeared to endorse Chinese policy.

Prince Salman’s endorsement of China's right to undertake "anti-terrorism" and "de-extremism" measures was widely seen as tacit support for the crackdown by the custodian of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

China has denied allegations of widespread abuse of human rights and insisted that the camps are re-education and training facilities that have stopped attacks by Islamist militants and separatists.

The Crown Prince’s remarks contrasted starkly with the characterisation last month of the crackdown by Turkey’s foreign ministry &nbsp;as an “embarrassment to humanity,” the ministry demanded that Chinese authorities respect the human rights of the Uyghurs and close what it termed “concentration camps.”&nbsp;

Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called twice last week on China to make a distinction between perpetrators of political violence and innocent civilians while insisting that Turkey wished to continue cooperation with the People’s Republic.

“The fact that we have a problem with China on an issue should not necessarily hinder our cooperation on other matters,” Cavusoglu said.

Turkey is hoping that Chinese investment in nuclear, e-commerce, finance, and infrastructure will narrow its gaping trade deficit with China that last year stood at $17.8 billion.

That is not how China appeared to envision its future relationship with Turkey.

“There may be disagreements or misunderstandings between friends, but we should solve them through dialogue. Criticising your friend publicly everywhere is not a constructive approach,” said Chinese ambassador to Turkey Deng Li.

“The most important issue between countries is mutual respect. Would you stay friends if your friend criticized you publicly every day?” Deng asked.

“If you choose a non-constructive path, it will negatively affect mutual trust and understanding and will be reflected in commercial and economic relations,” Deng added.

Deng’s comments were not only designed to whip Turkey back into line but also to prevent Central Asian nations from speaking out despite mounting domestic pressure.

Deng’s comments reflected greater Chinese intolerance for criticism of its crackdown amid attempts to convince the international community by taking diplomats and journalists on carefully managed tours of Xinjiang that one participant called a “dog and pony show.”

The ambassador’s rings particularly loud in Kazakhstan whose ethnic kin constitute the second largest Muslim community in Xinjiang after the Uyghurs.

A former re-education camp employee, Sayragul Sauytbay, who fled to Kazakhstan told a Kazakh court last year that she was aware of some 7,5000 Kazakh nationals and Chinese of Kazakh descent being incarcerated.

Atajurt Eriktileri, a Kazakh group that supports relatives of people who have disappeared in Xinjiang, says it has documented more than 10,000 cases of ethnic Kazakhs interned in China. The Xinjiang Victims Database says it has collected some 3,000 testimonies of prisoners and their families, half of which are from ethnic Kazakhs.

Askar Azatbek, a former Xinjiang official who became a Kazakh citizen, went missing in December after allegedly having been kidnapped while on the Kazakh side of Khorgos, a free-trade zone on the border with China.

So has Qalymbek Shahman an ethnic Kazakh Xinjiang businessman who was refused entry into Kazakhstan, sent to Uzbekistan and disappeared in Thailand to where he was returned by Uzbek authorities. Shahman hasn’t been heard from since.

"I wanted to go to Kazakhstan because China's human rights record was making life intolerable," Shahman said in a videotape from Tashkent airport before being forced to fly to Thailand, which has a track record of complying with Chinese repatriation requests.

For now, Central Asian leaders are walking a tightrope. Officially, they insist that Xinjiang is a Chinese internal affair. At the same time, the leaders are trying to curb domestic criticism.

Serikzhan Bilash, the head of Atajurt Eriktileri, was fined in February by an Almaty court for operating an unregistered organisation.

Sauytbay has fired her lawyer after he became unreachable at key moments in her asylum application and encouraged her to not talk about it publicly. “I don’t want to talk…until I have some kind of protection. I’d prefer that protection to come from Kazakhstan, but I might need help from other countries,” Sautbay said.

Sauytbay is certain to hope that Turkey’s willingness to confront China, if maintained, makes Central Asia’s tightrope act increasingly risky, particularly in an environment in which public criticism of the crackdown, anti-Chinese sentiment and social and economic discontent are meshing.

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

A Turkish-Chinese spat as a result of Turkish criticism of China’s crackdown on Turkic Muslims in its strategic but troubled north-western province of Xinjiang complicates efforts by Kazakhstan and other Central Asian states to at best deal quietly behind closed doors with the plight of their citizens and ethnic kin in the People’s Republic.

A Turkish-Chinese spat as a result of Turkish criticism of China’s crackdown on Turkic Muslims in its strategic but troubled north-western province of Xinjiang complicates efforts by Kazakhstan and other Central Asian states to at best deal quietly behind closed doors with the plight of their citizens and ethnic kin in the People’s Republic. China’s threat that the Turkish criticism of its massive surveillance and detention campaign, involving the alleged incarceration in re-education camps of up to one million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims would have economic consequences and the temporary closure of the Chinese consulate in the Mediterranean port city of Izmir serves as warnings to others in the Muslim world what could happen if they break their silence. The Chinese effort to get the Muslim and broader international community to maintain silence, if not acquiesce in the crackdown that constitutes the most frontal assault on Islam in recent history, was boosted when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a visit to Beijing last month appeared to endorse Chinese policy. Prince Salman’s endorsement of China's right to undertake "anti-terrorism" and "de-extremism" measures was widely seen as tacit support for the crackdown by the custodian of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. China has denied allegations of widespread abuse of human rights and insisted that the camps are re-education and training facilities that have stopped attacks by Islamist militants and separatists. The Crown Prince’s remarks contrasted starkly with the characterisation last month of the crackdown by Turkey’s foreign ministry as an “embarrassment to humanity,” the ministry demanded that Chinese authorities respect the human rights of the Uyghurs and close what it termed “concentration camps.” Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called twice last week on China to make a distinction between perpetrators of political violence and innocent civilians while insisting that Turkey wished to continue cooperation with the People’s Republic. “The fact that we have a problem with China on an issue should not necessarily hinder our cooperation on other matters,” Cavusoglu said. Turkey is hoping that Chinese investment in nuclear, e-commerce, finance, and infrastructure will narrow its gaping trade deficit with China that last year stood at $17.8 billion. That is not how China appeared to envision its future relationship with Turkey. “There may be disagreements or misunderstandings between friends, but we should solve them through dialogue. Criticising your friend publicly everywhere is not a constructive approach,” said Chinese ambassador to Turkey Deng Li. “The most important issue between countries is mutual respect. Would you stay friends if your friend criticized you publicly every day?” Deng asked. “If you choose a non-constructive path, it will negatively affect mutual trust and understanding and will be reflected in commercial and economic relations,” Deng added. Deng’s comments were not only designed to whip Turkey back into line but also to prevent Central Asian nations from speaking out despite mounting domestic pressure. Deng’s comments reflected greater Chinese intolerance for criticism of its crackdown amid attempts to convince the international community by taking diplomats and journalists on carefully managed tours of Xinjiang that one participant called a “dog and pony show.” The ambassador’s rings particularly loud in Kazakhstan whose ethnic kin constitute the second largest Muslim community in Xinjiang after the Uyghurs. A former re-education camp employee, Sayragul Sauytbay, who fled to Kazakhstan told a Kazakh court last year that she was aware of some 7,5000 Kazakh nationals and Chinese of Kazakh descent being incarcerated. Atajurt Eriktileri, a Kazakh group that supports relatives of people who have disappeared in Xinjiang, says it has documented more than 10,000 cases of ethnic Kazakhs interned in China. The Xinjiang Victims Database says it has collected some 3,000 testimonies of prisoners and their families, half of which are from ethnic Kazakhs. Askar Azatbek, a former Xinjiang official who became a Kazakh citizen, went missing in December after allegedly having been kidnapped while on the Kazakh side of Khorgos, a free-trade zone on the border with China. So has Qalymbek Shahman an ethnic Kazakh Xinjiang businessman who was refused entry into Kazakhstan, sent to Uzbekistan and disappeared in Thailand to where he was returned by Uzbek authorities. Shahman hasn’t been heard from since. "I wanted to go to Kazakhstan because China's human rights record was making life intolerable," Shahman said in a videotape from Tashkent airport before being forced to fly to Thailand, which has a track record of complying with Chinese repatriation requests. For now, Central Asian leaders are walking a tightrope. Officially, they insist that Xinjiang is a Chinese internal affair. At the same time, the leaders are trying to curb domestic criticism. Serikzhan Bilash, the head of Atajurt Eriktileri, was fined in February by an Almaty court for operating an unregistered organisation. Sauytbay has fired her lawyer after he became unreachable at key moments in her asylum application and encouraged her to not talk about it publicly. “I don’t want to talk…until I have some kind of protection. I’d prefer that protection to come from Kazakhstan, but I might need help from other countries,” Sautbay said. Sauytbay is certain to hope that Turkey’s willingness to confront China, if maintained, makes Central Asia’s tightrope act increasingly risky, particularly in an environment in which public criticism of the crackdown, anti-Chinese sentiment and social and economic discontent are meshing. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Turkish-Chinese spat puts Asian leaders on the spot

Any safe zone along Turkey's border with Syria must be under Turkish control, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday in an interview with broadcaster CNN Turk.

He was speaking after a senior US administration official said on Friday Washington would leave about 400 US troops in Syria, a reversal by President Donald Trump that could pave the way for US allies to keep troops there.

"If there is to be a safe zone along our border then it must be under our control. Because that is my border," Erdogan said.

Trump ordered the withdrawal of all 2,000 US troops from Syria in December after saying they had defeated Islamic State, a decision criticised by allies and US lawmakers.

He was persuaded on Thursday that about 200 US troops should join what is expected to be a total commitment of some 800 to 1,500 troops from European allies to set up a safe zone in northeastern Syria, a US administration official said.

Ankara regards the Kurdish YPG militia, which controls that region and has been a key US ally against Islamic State, as a terrorist group. Turkey has repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily against the YPG east of the Euphrates river where the safe zone is planned.

Any safe zone along Turkey's border with Syria must be under Turkish control, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday in an interview with broadcaster CNN Turk.

Any safe zone along Turkey's border with Syria must be under Turkish control, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday in an interview with broadcaster CNN Turk. He was speaking after a senior US administration official said on Friday Washington would leave about 400 US troops in Syria, a reversal by President Donald Trump that could pave the way for US allies to keep troops there. "If there is to be a safe zone along our border then it must be under our control. Because that is my border," Erdogan said. Trump ordered the withdrawal of all 2,000 US troops from Syria in December after saying they had defeated Islamic State, a decision criticised by allies and US lawmakers. He was persuaded on Thursday that about 200 US troops should join what is expected to be a total commitment of some 800 to 1,500 troops from European allies to set up a safe zone in northeastern Syria, a US administration official said. Ankara regards the Kurdish YPG militia, which controls that region and has been a key US ally against Islamic State, as a terrorist group. Turkey has repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily against the YPG east of the Euphrates river where the safe zone is planned.

Erdogan says safe zone on Syria border must be under Turkey's control

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and US&nbsp;President Donald Trump agreed in a phone call on Thursday to carry out the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/around-200-us-troops-to-remain-in-syria-after-pullout-white-house-198898">US military withdrawal from Syria</a> in line with their mutual interests, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said.

In December, Trump confounded his own national security team with a surprise decision to withdraw all 2,000 US&nbsp;troops from Syria, declaring that Islamic State had been defeated there.

Erdogan previously said that uncertainty remained over the US&nbsp;withdrawal from Syria, adding there was talk of the pullout taking place in April or May.

During their phone call, Erdogan and Trump agreed that the US&nbsp;withdrawal from Syria should not damage the mutual goals of Ankara and Washington, Anadolu said.

Turkey wants to set up a safe zone with logistical support from allies and says it should be cleared of the US-backed Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara views as a terrorist organisation linked with Kurdish militants on its own soil.

Erdogan and Trump also discussed bilateral relations and the latest developments in Syria, Anadolu said, adding that the two agreed to support a political resolution to the Syria conflict.

Erdogan reaffirmed Turkey's desire to maintain close ties with the United States in the phone call and the two leaders agreed to improve bilateral economic ties, Anadolu said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump agreed in a phone call on Thursday to carry out the US military withdrawal from Syria in line with their mutual interests, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump agreed in a phone call on Thursday to carry out the US military withdrawal from Syria in line with their mutual interests, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said. In December, Trump confounded his own national security team with a surprise decision to withdraw all 2,000 US troops from Syria, declaring that Islamic State had been defeated there. Erdogan previously said that uncertainty remained over the US withdrawal from Syria, adding there was talk of the pullout taking place in April or May. During their phone call, Erdogan and Trump agreed that the US withdrawal from Syria should not damage the mutual goals of Ankara and Washington, Anadolu said. Turkey wants to set up a safe zone with logistical support from allies and says it should be cleared of the US-backed Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara views as a terrorist organisation linked with Kurdish militants on its own soil. Erdogan and Trump also discussed bilateral relations and the latest developments in Syria, Anadolu said, adding that the two agreed to support a political resolution to the Syria conflict. Erdogan reaffirmed Turkey's desire to maintain close ties with the United States in the phone call and the two leaders agreed to improve bilateral economic ties, Anadolu said.

In a phone call, Erdogan and Trump agree to carry out US withdrawal from Syria

Turkish police on Tuesday launched raids to detain over 300 people, including military personnel, suspected of ties to a group blamed for a 2016 coup bid, state media reported.

Prosecutors in Turkey's three biggest provinces -- Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir -- issued arrest warrants for 324 people as part of different probes into followers of US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, the private DHA and the Anadolu state news agency said.

Turkey accuses Gulen of ordering the abortive bid to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15, 2016, but he strongly denies the claim.

The Istanbul public prosecutor sought the arrest of 53 active duty soldiers in 15 provinces, including in the metropolis, Anadolu reported.

In the Aegean province of Izmir, the public prosecutor issued 182 arrest warrants with police conducting raids across 42 provinces, including Izmir, DHA reported.

The capital's public prosecutor said it issued 89 arrest warrants in two separate probes including one looking at the gendarmerie, which is in charge of domestic security.

The Ankara prosecutor's office said 30 suspects had already been detained.

The operations against alleged members of Gulen's movement have increased in recent months.&nbsp;

More than 760 people were detained last week in operations across 76 provinces of Turkey's 81 provinces, although 122 suspects were later freed under judicial supervision.

Sixteen other suspects were released, according to the Ankara public prosecutor's office.

Tens of thousands of people have been arrested over suspected links to Gulen since 2016.

Meanwhile, more than 100,000 people have been sacked or suspended from the public sector.

Despite criticism from Western allies and human rights defenders over the scale of the crackdown, the police operations and probes continue with rigour.

Turkish officials insist that the raids are necessary to remove the "virus" caused by the Gulen movement's infiltration of Turkish state bodies.

Turkish police on Tuesday launched raids to detain over 300 people, including military personnel, suspected of ties to a group blamed for a 2016 coup bid, state media reported.

Turkish police on Tuesday launched raids to detain over 300 people, including military personnel, suspected of ties to a group blamed for a 2016 coup bid, state media reported. Prosecutors in Turkey's three biggest provinces -- Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir -- issued arrest warrants for 324 people as part of different probes into followers of US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, the private DHA and the Anadolu state news agency said. Turkey accuses Gulen of ordering the abortive bid to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15, 2016, but he strongly denies the claim. The Istanbul public prosecutor sought the arrest of 53 active duty soldiers in 15 provinces, including in the metropolis, Anadolu reported. In the Aegean province of Izmir, the public prosecutor issued 182 arrest warrants with police conducting raids across 42 provinces, including Izmir, DHA reported. The capital's public prosecutor said it issued 89 arrest warrants in two separate probes including one looking at the gendarmerie, which is in charge of domestic security. The Ankara prosecutor's office said 30 suspects had already been detained. The operations against alleged members of Gulen's movement have increased in recent months. More than 760 people were detained last week in operations across 76 provinces of Turkey's 81 provinces, although 122 suspects were later freed under judicial supervision. Sixteen other suspects were released, according to the Ankara public prosecutor's office. Tens of thousands of people have been arrested over suspected links to Gulen since 2016. Meanwhile, more than 100,000 people have been sacked or suspended from the public sector. Despite criticism from Western allies and human rights defenders over the scale of the crackdown, the police operations and probes continue with rigour. Turkish officials insist that the raids are necessary to remove the "virus" caused by the Gulen movement's infiltration of Turkish state bodies.

Turkey seeks to detain over 300 for alleged Gulen ties

Turkey will not turn back from its deal to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Saturday, a day after an informal deadline Washington set for Ankara to respond to a rival offer passed.

NATO member Turkey has repeatedly said it is committed to buying the Russian missile defence system, despite warnings from the US-led alliance that the S-400s cannot be integrated into the NATO air defence system.

US officials had set an informal deadline of February 15 for Ankara to respond to the rival US offer and have said that if Turkey proceeds with the S-400 purchase, Washington will withdraw its offer to sell a $3.5 billion Raytheon Co-Patriot missile package.

They have also said it would jeopardize Turkey's purchase of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets and possibly result in the United States imposing sanctions.

However, speaking to reporters on the flight back from the Russian resort of Sochi, where a three-way summit on Syria between Turkey, Russia and Iran was held, Erdogan said Ankara would press on with the S-400 purchases.

"We made the S-400 deal with Russia, so it out of the question for us to turn back. That's done," Erdogan said, according to broadcaster NTV.

He said Turkey was open to purchasing Patriot systems from the United States as long as the deal served Turkey's interests but added there were issues on delivery and production that were still being discussed with Washington.

"The US administration views the early delivery issue positively, but they won't say anything about joint production or a credit. We continue our work based on the promise of the S-400 deliveries in July."

The formal US offer for Turkey's purchase of Patriot systems expires at the end of March, US officials have told Reuters, after which a new offer would have to be submitted.

The United States asked Turkey to give at least an informal answer on whether it would go ahead with its S-400 purchase by February 15, one US official said.

It was not immediately clear whether Turkey had responded to the US offer.

Turkey will not turn back from its deal to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Saturday, a day after an informal deadline Washington set for Ankara to respond to a rival offer passed.

Turkey will not turn back from its deal to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Saturday, a day after an informal deadline Washington set for Ankara to respond to a rival offer passed. NATO member Turkey has repeatedly said it is committed to buying the Russian missile defence system, despite warnings from the US-led alliance that the S-400s cannot be integrated into the NATO air defence system. US officials had set an informal deadline of February 15 for Ankara to respond to the rival US offer and have said that if Turkey proceeds with the S-400 purchase, Washington will withdraw its offer to sell a $3.5 billion Raytheon Co-Patriot missile package. They have also said it would jeopardize Turkey's purchase of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets and possibly result in the United States imposing sanctions. However, speaking to reporters on the flight back from the Russian resort of Sochi, where a three-way summit on Syria between Turkey, Russia and Iran was held, Erdogan said Ankara would press on with the S-400 purchases. "We made the S-400 deal with Russia, so it out of the question for us to turn back. That's done," Erdogan said, according to broadcaster NTV. He said Turkey was open to purchasing Patriot systems from the United States as long as the deal served Turkey's interests but added there were issues on delivery and production that were still being discussed with Washington. "The US administration views the early delivery issue positively, but they won't say anything about joint production or a credit. We continue our work based on the promise of the S-400 deliveries in July." The formal US offer for Turkey's purchase of Patriot systems expires at the end of March, US officials have told Reuters, after which a new offer would have to be submitted. The United States asked Turkey to give at least an informal answer on whether it would go ahead with its S-400 purchase by February 15, one US official said. It was not immediately clear whether Turkey had responded to the US offer.

Turkey's Erdogan says no going back from S-400 deal with Russia: Source

Republican and Democratic members of the US Senate asked the Trump administration on Thursday to tell them more about the murder of journalist <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-media-publish-image-of-local-collaborator-in-khashoggi-killing-197487">Jamal Khashoggi</a> at a Saudi consulate last year, days after a missed deadline for a detailed report on his death prompted an angry bipartisan backlash.

Ten of the 12 Republicans from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led by Chairman Jim Risch, wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asking for more information.

"The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is committed to pursuing all information available in its oversight role and, to that end, is in the process of arranging a classified briefing for the committee," Risch said in a statement.

All 10 committee Democrats, led by senior member Bob Menendez, along with Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Pat Leahy, signed their own letter demanding that Pompeo brief Congress on why President Donald Trump's administration missed last Friday's deadline to report to Congress on whether Saudi government officials and members of the royal family, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were behind the death of Khashoggi, a legal US resident.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi government, was killed at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in October. His death fuelled simmering discontent with the Saudis among many in Washington angry over the kingdom's human rights record and heavy civilian casualties in Yemen's civil war, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Members of Congress have been introducing legislation for months to push back against Riyadh. On Wednesday, the Democratic-led US House of Representatives approved a rare war powers resolution that would end US support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen. A Senate vote is due within weeks.

While several Republicans had demanded more of a response from Trump last week, Risch told reporters on Tuesday: "I'm really satisfied with the way they are answering questions and giving us information."

A State Department representative, commenting on the senators' letters, said Pompeo had provided an update to Foreign Relations on Friday and would continue to consult with Congress.

After initially denying his death, Saudi Arabia has confirmed that its agents killed Khashoggi. Riyadh denies its senior leaders were behind the killing.

Republican and Democratic members of the US Senate asked the Trump administration on Thursday to tell them more about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate last year, days after a missed deadline for a detailed report on his death prompted an angry bipartisan backlash.

Republican and Democratic members of the US Senate asked the Trump administration on Thursday to tell them more about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate last year, days after a missed deadline for a detailed report on his death prompted an angry bipartisan backlash. Ten of the 12 Republicans from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led by Chairman Jim Risch, wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asking for more information. "The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is committed to pursuing all information available in its oversight role and, to that end, is in the process of arranging a classified briefing for the committee," Risch said in a statement. All 10 committee Democrats, led by senior member Bob Menendez, along with Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Pat Leahy, signed their own letter demanding that Pompeo brief Congress on why President Donald Trump's administration missed last Friday's deadline to report to Congress on whether Saudi government officials and members of the royal family, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were behind the death of Khashoggi, a legal US resident. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi government, was killed at a Saudi consulate in Turkey in October. His death fuelled simmering discontent with the Saudis among many in Washington angry over the kingdom's human rights record and heavy civilian casualties in Yemen's civil war, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Members of Congress have been introducing legislation for months to push back against Riyadh. On Wednesday, the Democratic-led US House of Representatives approved a rare war powers resolution that would end US support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen. A Senate vote is due within weeks. While several Republicans had demanded more of a response from Trump last week, Risch told reporters on Tuesday: "I'm really satisfied with the way they are answering questions and giving us information." A State Department representative, commenting on the senators' letters, said Pompeo had provided an update to Foreign Relations on Friday and would continue to consult with Congress. After initially denying his death, Saudi Arabia has confirmed that its agents killed Khashoggi. Riyadh denies its senior leaders were behind the killing.

US lawmakers want more information on Saudi journalist Khashoggi's death

Turkish authorities detained 729 people in nationwide raids Tuesday over alleged links to a group blamed for a failed coup in 2016, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said.

Officials had sent to authorities in 75 provinces the names of 1,112 people under investigation over suspected ties to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen and his movement, it said.

Gulen is accused of ordering the attempted putsch, a claim he strongly denies.

Forty-five of those arrested were in the capital Ankara, a judicial source, who did not wish to be named, told AFP.

"We do not know whether the provincial authorities detained or summoned all of the individuals whose names were given," the source added.

The Ankara public prosecutor's office, which leads the coup investigation, said 130 people on the list of suspects were deputy police chiefs still on active duty.&nbsp;

They are suspected of having obtained questions before sitting the 2010 exam to become inspectors, it added in a statement.

Turkish officials defend the crackdown by pointing to what it describes as the Gulen group's "virus"-like infiltration of key institutions, including the police.

Members of the movement are accused of cheating on entry exams to gain access to important public bodies.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Sunday that authorities "were planning a big operation" against the movement.

"Devils wouldn't even conduct the tricks that they did," Soylu said, adding that Turkey would "finish them off in this country".

There have been regular raids across Turkey in recent weeks against alleged members of the movement, despite criticism from human rights defenders and Ankara's Western allies over the scale of the crackdown.

Tens of thousands of people have been taken into custody over suspected links to Gulen since 2016 while over 100,000 -- including teachers, police officers, and judges -- have been sacked or suspended from the public sector.

Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said last month that 31,088 people have been convicted or jailed over suspected Gulen links.

Turkish authorities detained 729 people in nationwide raids Tuesday over alleged links to a group blamed for a failed coup in 2016, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said.

Turkish authorities detained 729 people in nationwide raids Tuesday over alleged links to a group blamed for a failed coup in 2016, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said. Officials had sent to authorities in 75 provinces the names of 1,112 people under investigation over suspected ties to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen and his movement, it said. Gulen is accused of ordering the attempted putsch, a claim he strongly denies. Forty-five of those arrested were in the capital Ankara, a judicial source, who did not wish to be named, told AFP. "We do not know whether the provincial authorities detained or summoned all of the individuals whose names were given," the source added. The Ankara public prosecutor's office, which leads the coup investigation, said 130 people on the list of suspects were deputy police chiefs still on active duty. They are suspected of having obtained questions before sitting the 2010 exam to become inspectors, it added in a statement. Turkish officials defend the crackdown by pointing to what it describes as the Gulen group's "virus"-like infiltration of key institutions, including the police. Members of the movement are accused of cheating on entry exams to gain access to important public bodies. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Sunday that authorities "were planning a big operation" against the movement. "Devils wouldn't even conduct the tricks that they did," Soylu said, adding that Turkey would "finish them off in this country". There have been regular raids across Turkey in recent weeks against alleged members of the movement, despite criticism from human rights defenders and Ankara's Western allies over the scale of the crackdown. Tens of thousands of people have been taken into custody over suspected links to Gulen since 2016 while over 100,000 -- including teachers, police officers, and judges -- have been sacked or suspended from the public sector. Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said last month that 31,088 people have been convicted or jailed over suspected Gulen links.

Turkey detains more than 700 over alleged links to coup bid

China hit back on Monday at <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-treatment-of-uighurs-a-great-embarrassment-for-humanity-turkey-196302">Turkish criticism over its treatment of Uighurs</a> and denied Ankara's claim that a renowned poet from the Muslim minority had died in custody, calling it an "absurd lie".

Turkey's foreign ministry had released a statement on Saturday severely criticising China's mass detentions of its Turkic-speaking Uighurs, and claiming that poet Abdurehim Heyit had died serving an eight-year Chinese prison sentence imposed as punishment over "one of his songs".

But China on Sunday released a video showing a man who identified himself as Heyit and saying that he was alive and well.

"China has made solemn representations toward Turkey. We hope the relevant Turkish persons can distinguish between right and wrong and correct their mistakes," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said during a daily press briefing.

She called the Turkish statement "vile" and urged Ankara to withdraw its "false accusations".&nbsp;

"I saw his (Heyit's) video online yesterday, showing that he is not only alive but also very healthy," she said.

A UN panel of experts has said that nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking minorities had been herded into "re-education camps" in China's northwestern Xinjiang region, where most of the country's more than 10 million Uighurs live.

Turkey had said China's treatment of Uighurs was "a great embarrassment for humanity" -- perhaps the strongest condemnation yet from a Muslim country.

The Muslim world has been conspicuously quiet on the Uighur issue, possibly to avoid Chinese diplomatic or economic retaliation.

The plight of China's Uighurs is closely followed in Turkey due to shared linguistic, cultural and religious links and the presence of tens of thousands of ethnic Uighurs there.

'No abuse'

In its statement on Saturday, Turkey did not say how it had learned that Heyit died but said the "tragedy has further reinforced the reaction of the Turkish public opinion towards (the) serious human rights violations" in Xinjiang.

But state-controlled China Radio International (CRI) released a 26-second video on its Turkish service on Sunday.

"My name is Abdurehim Heyit. Today is February 10, 2019," the man in the video says, according to the English subtitles.

"I'm in the process of being investigated for allegedly violating the national laws," he added, in what appeared to be the Uighur language.

Wearing a black and white sweater over a collared shirt, he said he was in "good health" and has "never been abused", according to the subtitles.

AFP was unable to immediately verify the authenticity of the video or when it was shot.

CRI said it was released to state media by Xinjiang's regional government.

Xinjiang has come under intensifying police surveillance in recent years following repeated riots, bombings and attacks on Chinese security forces and civilians.

Beijing at first denied any Xinjiang detention camps existed, but later admitted people were being sent to what it calls "vocational education centres".

But critics say Uighurs are being pressured in the camps to assimilate with Chinese society and abandon religious and cultural practices that Beijing sees as potential sources of resistance.

The Turkish foreign ministry statement said Uighurs were being "subjected to torture and political brainwashing in concentration centres and prisons".

Hua, however, appeared to leave the door open to patching up the row, saying the two sides should endeavour to maintain "mutual trust and cooperation".

 
&nbsp;

China hit back on Monday at Turkish criticism over its treatment of Uighurs and denied Ankara's claim that a renowned poet from the Muslim minority had died in custody, calling it an "absurd lie".

China hit back on Monday at Turkish criticism over its treatment of Uighurs and denied Ankara's claim that a renowned poet from the Muslim minority had died in custody, calling it an "absurd lie". Turkey's foreign ministry had released a statement on Saturday severely criticising China's mass detentions of its Turkic-speaking Uighurs, and claiming that poet Abdurehim Heyit had died serving an eight-year Chinese prison sentence imposed as punishment over "one of his songs". But China on Sunday released a video showing a man who identified himself as Heyit and saying that he was alive and well. "China has made solemn representations toward Turkey. We hope the relevant Turkish persons can distinguish between right and wrong and correct their mistakes," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said during a daily press briefing. She called the Turkish statement "vile" and urged Ankara to withdraw its "false accusations". "I saw his (Heyit's) video online yesterday, showing that he is not only alive but also very healthy," she said. A UN panel of experts has said that nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking minorities had been herded into "re-education camps" in China's northwestern Xinjiang region, where most of the country's more than 10 million Uighurs live. Turkey had said China's treatment of Uighurs was "a great embarrassment for humanity" -- perhaps the strongest condemnation yet from a Muslim country. The Muslim world has been conspicuously quiet on the Uighur issue, possibly to avoid Chinese diplomatic or economic retaliation. The plight of China's Uighurs is closely followed in Turkey due to shared linguistic, cultural and religious links and the presence of tens of thousands of ethnic Uighurs there. 'No abuse' In its statement on Saturday, Turkey did not say how it had learned that Heyit died but said the "tragedy has further reinforced the reaction of the Turkish public opinion towards (the) serious human rights violations" in Xinjiang. But state-controlled China Radio International (CRI) released a 26-second video on its Turkish service on Sunday. "My name is Abdurehim Heyit. Today is February 10, 2019," the man in the video says, according to the English subtitles. "I'm in the process of being investigated for allegedly violating the national laws," he added, in what appeared to be the Uighur language. Wearing a black and white sweater over a collared shirt, he said he was in "good health" and has "never been abused", according to the subtitles. AFP was unable to immediately verify the authenticity of the video or when it was shot. CRI said it was released to state media by Xinjiang's regional government. Xinjiang has come under intensifying police surveillance in recent years following repeated riots, bombings and attacks on Chinese security forces and civilians. Beijing at first denied any Xinjiang detention camps existed, but later admitted people were being sent to what it calls "vocational education centres". But critics say Uighurs are being pressured in the camps to assimilate with Chinese society and abandon religious and cultural practices that Beijing sees as potential sources of resistance. The Turkish foreign ministry statement said Uighurs were being "subjected to torture and political brainwashing in concentration centres and prisons". Hua, however, appeared to leave the door open to patching up the row, saying the two sides should endeavour to maintain "mutual trust and cooperation".

China rejects Turkey's criticism on Uighurs, denies poet died

In perhaps the most significant condemnation to date of China’s brutal crackdown on Turkic Muslims in its north-western province of Xinjiang.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uighur-musician-abdurehim-heyit-is-alive-says-chinas-state-run-television-196600">Turkey’s foreign ministry </a>demanded this weekend that Chinese authorities respect human rights of the Uighurs and close what it termed “concentration camps” in which up to one million people are believed to be imprisoned.

Calling the crackdown an “embarrassment to humanity,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the death of detained Uighur poet and musician Abdurehim Heyit had prompted the ministry to issue its statement.

Known as the Rooster of Xinjiang, Heyit symbolised the Uighurs’ cultural links to the Turkic world, according to Adrian Zenz, a European School of Culture and Theology researcher who has done pioneering work on the crackdown.

Turkish media asserted that Heyit, who was serving an eight-year prison sentence, had been tortured to death. &nbsp;

Aksoy said Turkey was calling on other countries and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to take steps to end the “humanitarian tragedy” in Xinjiang.

The Chinese embassy in Ankara rejected the statement as a “violation of the facts,” insisting that China was fighting separatism, extremism and terrorism, not seeking to “eliminate” the Uighurs’ ethnic, religious or cultural identity.

Aksoy’s statement contrastèd starkly with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s declaration six months earlier that China was Turkey’s economic partner of the future. At the time, Turkey had just secured a $3.6 billion loan for its energy and telecommunications sector from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).

The Turkish statement constitutes the first major crack in the Muslim wall of silence that has enabled the Chinese crackdown, the most frontal assault on Islam in recent memory. The statement’s significance goes beyond developments in Xinjiang.

Like with Muslim condemnation of US President Donald J Trump’s decision last year to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Turkey appears to be wanting to be seen as a spokesman of the Muslim world in its one-upmanship with Saudi Arabia and to a lesser degree Iran.

While neither the kingdom or Iran are likely to follow Turkey’s example any time soon, the statement raises the stakes and puts other contenders for leadership on the defensive.

The bulk of the Muslim world has remained conspicuously silent with only Malaysian leaders willing to speak out and set an example by last year rejecting Chinese demands that a group of Uighur asylum seekers be extradited to China. Malaysia instead allowed the group to go to Turkey.

The Turkish statement came days after four Islamist members of the Kuwaiti parliament organised the Arab world’s first public protest against the crackdown.

By contrast, Pakistani officials backed off initial criticism and protests in countries like Bangladesh and India have been at best sporadic.

Like the Turkish statement, a disagreement between major Indonesian religious leaders and the government on how to respond to the crackdown raises questions about the sustainability of the wall of silence.

Rejecting a call on the government to condemn the crackdown by the Indonesian Ulema Council, the country’s top clerical body, Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla insisted that the government would not interfere in the internal affairs of others.

The council was one of the first, if not the first, major Muslim religious body to speak out on the issues of the Uighurs. Its non-active chairman and spiritual leader of Nahdlaltul Ulama, the world’s largest Muslim organisation, Maruf Amin, is running as President Joko Widodo’s vice-presidential candidate in elections in April.

The Turkish statement could have its most immediate impact in Central Asia, which like Turkey has close ethnic and cultural ties to Xinjiang, and is struggling to balance relations with China with the need to be seen to be standing up for the rights of its citizens and ethnic kin.

In Kazakhstan, Turkey’s newly found assertiveness towards China could make it more difficult for the government to return to China Sayragul Sautbay, a Chinese national of ethnic Kazakh descent and a former re-education camp employee who fled illegally to Kazakhstan to join her husband and child.

Sautbay, who stood trial in Kazakhstan last year for illegal entry, is the only camp instructor to have worked in a reeducation camp in Xinjiang teaching inmates Mandarin and Communist Party propaganda and spoken publicly about it.

She has twice been refused asylum in Kazakhstan and is appealing the decision. China is believed to be demanding that she be handed back to the Xinjiang authorities.

Similarly, Turkey’s statement could impact the fate of Qalymbek Shahman, a Chinese businessman of Kazakh descent, who is being held at the airport in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent after being denied entry into Kazakhstan.

"I was born in Emin county in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to a farming family. I wanted to go to Kazakhstan, because China's human rights record was making life intolerable. I would have my ID checked every 50 to 100 meters when I was in Xinjiang, This made me extremely anxious, and I couldn't stand it anymore," Shahman said in a video clip sent to Radio Free Asia from Tashkent airport.

A guide for foreign businessmen, Shahman said he was put out of business by the continued checks that raised questions in the minds of his clients and persuaded local businessmen not to work with him.

Said Zenz, the Xinjiang scholar, commenting on the significance of the Turkish statement: “A major outcry among the Muslim world was a key missing piece in the global Xinjiang row. In my view, it seems that China’s actions in Xinjiang are finally crossing a red line among the world’s Muslim communities, at least in Turkey, but quite possibly elsewhere.” 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

In perhaps the most significant condemnation to date of China’s brutal crackdown on Turkic Muslims in its north-western province of Xinjiang. Turkey’s foreign ministry demanded this weekend that Chinese authorities respect human rights of the Uighurs and close what it termed “concentration camps” in which up to one million people are believed to be imprisoned.

In perhaps the most significant condemnation to date of China’s brutal crackdown on Turkic Muslims in its north-western province of Xinjiang. Turkey’s foreign ministry demanded this weekend that Chinese authorities respect human rights of the Uighurs and close what it termed “concentration camps” in which up to one million people are believed to be imprisoned. Calling the crackdown an “embarrassment to humanity,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the death of detained Uighur poet and musician Abdurehim Heyit had prompted the ministry to issue its statement. Known as the Rooster of Xinjiang, Heyit symbolised the Uighurs’ cultural links to the Turkic world, according to Adrian Zenz, a European School of Culture and Theology researcher who has done pioneering work on the crackdown. Turkish media asserted that Heyit, who was serving an eight-year prison sentence, had been tortured to death. Aksoy said Turkey was calling on other countries and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to take steps to end the “humanitarian tragedy” in Xinjiang. The Chinese embassy in Ankara rejected the statement as a “violation of the facts,” insisting that China was fighting separatism, extremism and terrorism, not seeking to “eliminate” the Uighurs’ ethnic, religious or cultural identity. Aksoy’s statement contrastèd starkly with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s declaration six months earlier that China was Turkey’s economic partner of the future. At the time, Turkey had just secured a $3.6 billion loan for its energy and telecommunications sector from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). The Turkish statement constitutes the first major crack in the Muslim wall of silence that has enabled the Chinese crackdown, the most frontal assault on Islam in recent memory. The statement’s significance goes beyond developments in Xinjiang. Like with Muslim condemnation of US President Donald J Trump’s decision last year to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Turkey appears to be wanting to be seen as a spokesman of the Muslim world in its one-upmanship with Saudi Arabia and to a lesser degree Iran. While neither the kingdom or Iran are likely to follow Turkey’s example any time soon, the statement raises the stakes and puts other contenders for leadership on the defensive. The bulk of the Muslim world has remained conspicuously silent with only Malaysian leaders willing to speak out and set an example by last year rejecting Chinese demands that a group of Uighur asylum seekers be extradited to China. Malaysia instead allowed the group to go to Turkey. The Turkish statement came days after four Islamist members of the Kuwaiti parliament organised the Arab world’s first public protest against the crackdown. By contrast, Pakistani officials backed off initial criticism and protests in countries like Bangladesh and India have been at best sporadic. Like the Turkish statement, a disagreement between major Indonesian religious leaders and the government on how to respond to the crackdown raises questions about the sustainability of the wall of silence. Rejecting a call on the government to condemn the crackdown by the Indonesian Ulema Council, the country’s top clerical body, Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla insisted that the government would not interfere in the internal affairs of others. The council was one of the first, if not the first, major Muslim religious body to speak out on the issues of the Uighurs. Its non-active chairman and spiritual leader of Nahdlaltul Ulama, the world’s largest Muslim organisation, Maruf Amin, is running as President Joko Widodo’s vice-presidential candidate in elections in April. The Turkish statement could have its most immediate impact in Central Asia, which like Turkey has close ethnic and cultural ties to Xinjiang, and is struggling to balance relations with China with the need to be seen to be standing up for the rights of its citizens and ethnic kin. In Kazakhstan, Turkey’s newly found assertiveness towards China could make it more difficult for the government to return to China Sayragul Sautbay, a Chinese national of ethnic Kazakh descent and a former re-education camp employee who fled illegally to Kazakhstan to join her husband and child. Sautbay, who stood trial in Kazakhstan last year for illegal entry, is the only camp instructor to have worked in a reeducation camp in Xinjiang teaching inmates Mandarin and Communist Party propaganda and spoken publicly about it. She has twice been refused asylum in Kazakhstan and is appealing the decision. China is believed to be demanding that she be handed back to the Xinjiang authorities. Similarly, Turkey’s statement could impact the fate of Qalymbek Shahman, a Chinese businessman of Kazakh descent, who is being held at the airport in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent after being denied entry into Kazakhstan. "I was born in Emin county in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to a farming family. I wanted to go to Kazakhstan, because China's human rights record was making life intolerable. I would have my ID checked every 50 to 100 meters when I was in Xinjiang, This made me extremely anxious, and I couldn't stand it anymore," Shahman said in a video clip sent to Radio Free Asia from Tashkent airport. A guide for foreign businessmen, Shahman said he was put out of business by the continued checks that raised questions in the minds of his clients and persuaded local businessmen not to work with him. Said Zenz, the Xinjiang scholar, commenting on the significance of the Turkish statement: “A major outcry among the Muslim world was a key missing piece in the global Xinjiang row. In my view, it seems that China’s actions in Xinjiang are finally crossing a red line among the world’s Muslim communities, at least in Turkey, but quite possibly elsewhere.” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Harsh Turkish condemnation of Uighur abuse in Xinjiang cracks wall of silence

The death toll from the collapse of an apartment building in Istanbul rose to 21 Saturday, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said authorities have "lessons to learn" from the incident.

The eight-storey block in the Kartal district on the Asian side of the city collapsed on Wednesday but the cause is not yet clear.&nbsp;

Erdogan, visiting the site Saturday, said: "We have a great number of lessons to learn from this. We will take the necessary measures."

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, meanwhile, told reporters that the toll from the building collapse had risen to 21 dead and 14 injured.

It was the third time the toll figures were updated during the day.

"We estimate that there were 35 people trapped under the rubble and we have now accounted for 35," he said while stressing that search operations would continue as before.

Dozens of rescuers were working at the site with a crane lifting huge blocks of concrete to clear the rubble.

President Erdogan also visited a hospital to talk to survivors, before attending the funeral of the nine members of one family who lost their lives in the disaster.

Turkish authorities said 43 people were registered as living in the building.

Environment Minister Murat Kurum, who accompanied Erdogan, said the block had housed 14 apartments and three businesses.

Turkish media said three of the eight floors had been illegally built -- a common practice in the metropolis of around 15 million people.

The collapse fanned criticism of a government amnesty granted last year to people accused of illegal building -- a measure announced ahead of municipal elections this March.

Engineers and architects regularly sound the alarm against illegal additional storeys to buildings which they say weaken the constructions' structure, and put them at greater risk in the event of an earthquake.

A four-storey structure in Istanbul crumbled last year following violent thunderstorms. In January 2017, two people died when another building collapsed in a working class part of the city.

The death toll from the collapse of an apartment building in Istanbul rose to 21 Saturday, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said authorities have "lessons to learn" from the incident.

The death toll from the collapse of an apartment building in Istanbul rose to 21 Saturday, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said authorities have "lessons to learn" from the incident. The eight-storey block in the Kartal district on the Asian side of the city collapsed on Wednesday but the cause is not yet clear. Erdogan, visiting the site Saturday, said: "We have a great number of lessons to learn from this. We will take the necessary measures." Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, meanwhile, told reporters that the toll from the building collapse had risen to 21 dead and 14 injured. It was the third time the toll figures were updated during the day. "We estimate that there were 35 people trapped under the rubble and we have now accounted for 35," he said while stressing that search operations would continue as before. Dozens of rescuers were working at the site with a crane lifting huge blocks of concrete to clear the rubble. President Erdogan also visited a hospital to talk to survivors, before attending the funeral of the nine members of one family who lost their lives in the disaster. Turkish authorities said 43 people were registered as living in the building. Environment Minister Murat Kurum, who accompanied Erdogan, said the block had housed 14 apartments and three businesses. Turkish media said three of the eight floors had been illegally built -- a common practice in the metropolis of around 15 million people. The collapse fanned criticism of a government amnesty granted last year to people accused of illegal building -- a measure announced ahead of municipal elections this March. Engineers and architects regularly sound the alarm against illegal additional storeys to buildings which they say weaken the constructions' structure, and put them at greater risk in the event of an earthquake. A four-storey structure in Istanbul crumbled last year following violent thunderstorms. In January 2017, two people died when another building collapsed in a working class part of the city.

Death toll from Turkey building collapse rises to 21

Turkey on Saturday condemned China's treatment of its Muslim ethnic Uighur people as "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistanis-distressed-as-uighur-wives-vanish-in-china-dragnet-36992">a great embarrassment for humanity</a>," adding to rights groups' recent criticism over mass detentions of the Turkic-speaking minority.

"The systematic assimilation policy of Chinese authorities towards Uighur Turks is a great embarrassment for humanity," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement.

The northwest Xinjiang region of China, where most Uighurs live, has been under heavy police surveillance in recent years, after violent inter-ethnic tensions.

Nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic language-speaking minorities in China have reportedly been held in re-education camps, according to a UN panel of experts.

Beijing says the "vocational education centres" help people steer clear of terrorism and allow them to be reintegrated into society.

But critics say China is seeking to assimilate Xinjiang's minority population and suppress religious and cultural practices that conflict with Communist ideology and the dominant Han culture.

"It is no longer a secret that more than one million Uighur Turks, -- who are exposed to arbitrary arrests -- are subjected to torture and political brainwashing in concentration centres and prisons," Aksoy said in the Turkish foreign ministry statement.&nbsp;

"Uighurs who are not detained in the camps are also under great pressure," he added.&nbsp;

Turkey called on the international community and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres "to take effective steps to end the human tragedy in Xinjiang region."

Most mainly Muslim countries have not been vocal on the issue, not criticising the government in China which is an important trading partner.

Aksoy also said Turkey had learned of the "tragic" death in custody Saturday of Uighur poet and musician Abdurehim Heyit.&nbsp;

"We've learned with great sorrow that dignified poet Abdurehim Heyit, who was sentenced to eight years in prison for his compositions, died in the second year of his imprisonment," he said.&nbsp;

"This tragic incident has further strengthened the Turkish public's reaction to the serious human rights violations in Xinjiang Region."

Turkey on Saturday condemned China's treatment of its Muslim ethnic Uighur people as "a great embarrassment for humanity," adding to rights groups' recent criticism over mass detentions of the Turkic-speaking minority.

Turkey on Saturday condemned China's treatment of its Muslim ethnic Uighur people as "a great embarrassment for humanity," adding to rights groups' recent criticism over mass detentions of the Turkic-speaking minority. "The systematic assimilation policy of Chinese authorities towards Uighur Turks is a great embarrassment for humanity," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement. The northwest Xinjiang region of China, where most Uighurs live, has been under heavy police surveillance in recent years, after violent inter-ethnic tensions. Nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic language-speaking minorities in China have reportedly been held in re-education camps, according to a UN panel of experts. Beijing says the "vocational education centres" help people steer clear of terrorism and allow them to be reintegrated into society. But critics say China is seeking to assimilate Xinjiang's minority population and suppress religious and cultural practices that conflict with Communist ideology and the dominant Han culture. "It is no longer a secret that more than one million Uighur Turks, -- who are exposed to arbitrary arrests -- are subjected to torture and political brainwashing in concentration centres and prisons," Aksoy said in the Turkish foreign ministry statement. "Uighurs who are not detained in the camps are also under great pressure," he added. Turkey called on the international community and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres "to take effective steps to end the human tragedy in Xinjiang region." Most mainly Muslim countries have not been vocal on the issue, not criticising the government in China which is an important trading partner. Aksoy also said Turkey had learned of the "tragic" death in custody Saturday of Uighur poet and musician Abdurehim Heyit. "We've learned with great sorrow that dignified poet Abdurehim Heyit, who was sentenced to eight years in prison for his compositions, died in the second year of his imprisonment," he said. "This tragic incident has further strengthened the Turkish public's reaction to the serious human rights violations in Xinjiang Region."

China's treatment of Uighurs a 'great embarrassment for humanity': Turkey

Turkey on Wednesday hit out at President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France would make April 24 a "national day of commemoration of the Armenian genocide".

"We condemn and reject attempts by Macron, who is afflicted by political problems in his own country, to try and save the day by turning historical events into a political matter," Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said in a statement after the French leader's announcement on Tuesday.

Macron said Tuesday: "France is, first and foremost, the country that knows how to look history in the face," during a speech to the Armenian community at a dinner in Paris.

Turkey and Armenia have long been at odds over the treatment of Armenians during World War I.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their people were killed during the war.

But Turkey -- the Ottoman Empire's successor state -- denies that the massacres, imprisonment and forced deportation of Armenians from 1915 amounted to a genocide.

"The claims of a so-called Armenian genocide have no legal basis at all, and go against historical realities. It is a political lie," Kalin said.

"No one can sully our history," the spokesman added.

The French president said he had previously informed his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan of his decision.

France was one of the first major European nations to recognise the mass killings as "genocide". More than 20 other countries have followed suit.

Armenians commemorate the massacres on April 24 -- the day in 1915 when thousands of Armenian intellectuals suspected of harbouring nationalist sentiment and being hostile to Ottoman rule were rounded up.

Turkey on Wednesday hit out at President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France would make April 24 a "national day of commemoration of the Armenian genocide".

Turkey on Wednesday hit out at President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France would make April 24 a "national day of commemoration of the Armenian genocide". "We condemn and reject attempts by Macron, who is afflicted by political problems in his own country, to try and save the day by turning historical events into a political matter," Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said in a statement after the French leader's announcement on Tuesday. Macron said Tuesday: "France is, first and foremost, the country that knows how to look history in the face," during a speech to the Armenian community at a dinner in Paris. Turkey and Armenia have long been at odds over the treatment of Armenians during World War I. Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their people were killed during the war. But Turkey -- the Ottoman Empire's successor state -- denies that the massacres, imprisonment and forced deportation of Armenians from 1915 amounted to a genocide. "The claims of a so-called Armenian genocide have no legal basis at all, and go against historical realities. It is a political lie," Kalin said. "No one can sully our history," the spokesman added. The French president said he had previously informed his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan of his decision. France was one of the first major European nations to recognise the mass killings as "genocide". More than 20 other countries have followed suit. Armenians commemorate the massacres on April 24 -- the day in 1915 when thousands of Armenian intellectuals suspected of harbouring nationalist sentiment and being hostile to Ottoman rule were rounded up.

Turkey condemns Macron plan for national day marking 'Armenian genocide'

By Nisha Bellinger and Byunghwan Son

Democracy is at risk worldwide. And the economy may be, too.

Seventy-one out of the world’s 195 countries saw their democratic institutions erode in recent years, according to the 2018 year-end report by democracy watchdog Freedom House, a phenomenon known as “democratic backsliding.” Signs of backsliding include elected leaders who expand their executive powers while weakening the legislature and judiciary, elections that have become less competitive and shrinking press freedom.

When government institutions erode like this, it isn’t just bad for democracy - it also hurts countries economically, research shows.

To understand why, we applied our background as political scientists focused on developing economies to study Venezuela, Turkey and Hungary – all countries that have seen varying degrees of democratic backsliding in recent years.

The authoritarian economic problem

All three countries have struggled economically as their democratically elected leaders turned authoritarian over the past five years.

In Turkey, President Recep Erdoğan has been steadily consolidating presidential powers for years while attacking the independence of both the legislative and judicial branches, as well as restricting press and academic freedoms. Turkey’s economy has struggled in kind, with gross domestic product dropping about 60 per cent between 2013 and 2016. Its currency, the lire, also collapsed last year, plunging the country into crisis.

Under the autocratic leadership of President Nicolás Maduro – who is now in a bitter power struggle to retain the presidency – Venezuela has seen financial ruin. Inflation hit 80,000 per cent there last year, and food and medicine are scarce. Venezuela’s government stopped releasing economic data in 2014, but its gross domestic product is believed to have shrunk by around 15 per cent for each of the last three years.

Meanwhile, Hungary has stagnated as Prime Minister Victor Orbán has become increasingly undemocratic. Since the 2014 election, when Orban’s grip on power really tightened, growth has mostly dropped, from 4 per cent in 2014 to 2 per cent in 2016. The World Bank predicts that Hungary’s economy will continue to contract through 2020 and beyond.

Leaders are fallible

Authoritarianism isn’t always bad for the economy. Autocratic China and Singapore are both economic success stories, growing at double digits – a pace largely unseen in Western democracies.

But these countries were never set up to be democracies.

When a one-time democracy turns toward authoritarianism, however, the economic effect is often negative. That’s because, in a democracy, economic policy is meant to be made jointly, by various elected officials from the executive and legislative branches. Other independent government agencies, like the US Federal Reserve or central bank, help decide economic policy, too.

Lawmakers check impulsive decisions by presidents in a number of formal and informal ways, our research shows. Policies that relate to government investments, taxing and spending, among other issues, are generally the result of negotiation between the two branches.

When legislatures can no longer effectively serve this function – because they’ve been sidelined, as in Venezuela and Turkey, or because they are dominated by the ruling party, as in Hungary – there’s little to prevent authoritarian leaders from making bad choices that hurt the economy.

Turkey is a good example of the risks that come from having one all-powerful, fallible leader.

In July 2018, President Erdoğan expanded his executive powers to include making key appointments to Turkey’s central bank and appointed his son-in-law to lead economic policy in Turkey. Erdoğan then restricted the bank from raising interest rates to curb rising inflation – despite warnings from economists that this move would lead the value of the Turkish currency to plummet. And, of course, it did.

Social unrest is bad for the economy

Legislatures play an important role in setting economic policy also because, as representative bodies made up of different political parties, they serve as channels through which people and social groups can make demands on policymakers.

In a healthy legislative debate in a functioning democracy, opposing parties develop economic policies that help their constituents. They also try to change laws that they believe will hurt the people they represent.

When authoritarian leaders sideline opposition parties and stack the legislature with their supporters, the only way for citizens to air their grievances is on the streets.

Venezuelans staged months of mass daily protests in 2017 after President Maduro stripped Venezuela’s opposition-dominated parliament of its powers. They are marching again now, demanding Maduro’s ouster.

Social unrest can deepen economic woes, especially when it gets violent. Riots may destroy physical infrastructures like oil pipelines or block highways that keeps the country running. People may flee for their own safety, leaving jobs undone and critical positions unfilled.

Democratic backsliding reduces foreign investment

International markets, too, dislike social unrest. When protests are prolonged or if the governments crack down violently, it is common for investors to flee.

International investors get worried, too, when parliaments have too few opposition parties to effectively check the executive branch, our study finds.

When democratically elected leaders turn authoritarian, investors get nervous, withdrawing funds and reducing investments.

Since 2013, Hungary, Venezuela and Turkey have all seen notable declines in their foreign direct investment, a measure of global confidence in a country, according to the World Bank. Declines range from 66 per cent in Venezuela to 300 per cent in Hungary.

One reason investment drops as democracy erodes is because investors fear the government could begin meddling in their businesses in ways that reduce profits.

This is a common strategy of authoritarian leaders from both the right and the left.

Since taking sweeping control of Hungary’s parliament in 2018, for example, President Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party has reasserted government control over major energy firms, taking over public utilities and increasing government oversight of foreign companies that operate in the country.

In Venezuela, the left-wing Maduro has taken over food production in the country, ordering companies like Nestle and Pepsi to vacate their factories in 2015.

It’s all about the legislatures 
 
Our study found one condition that allows economies to thrive even when democracy is in decline: functioning political parties in independent legislatures.

In the Philippines, hard-right president Rodrigo Duterte has imprisoned, even killed, thousands of citizens as part of his “war on drugs.” Duterte has also arrested powerful people who criticize his policies. So far, however, the Filipino parliament is still fairly functional, with opposition parties that operate freely.

Consequently, the Filipino economy remains unaffected by Duterte’s authoritarianism. Gross domestic product has grown at a good rate of around 7 per cent since 2012. Foreign investments have also been increasing.

Sharing some power with lawmakers gives the economy a boost. Ultimately, that may help these authoritarian-leaning leaders stay in power longer.

(Nisha Bellinger is Assistant Professor of Political Science, Boise State University; &nbsp;Byunghwan Son is Assistant Professor of Global Affairs, George Mason University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-authoritarianism-bad-for-the-economy-ask-venezuela-or-hungary-or-turkey-106749">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Nisha Bellinger and Byunghwan Son Democracy is at risk worldwide. And the economy may be, too. Seventy-one out of the world’s 195 countries saw their democratic institutions erode in recent years, according to the 2018 year-end report by democracy watchdog Freedom House, a phenomenon known as “democratic backsliding.

By Nisha Bellinger and Byunghwan Son Democracy is at risk worldwide. And the economy may be, too. Seventy-one out of the world’s 195 countries saw their democratic institutions erode in recent years, according to the 2018 year-end report by democracy watchdog Freedom House, a phenomenon known as “democratic backsliding.” Signs of backsliding include elected leaders who expand their executive powers while weakening the legislature and judiciary, elections that have become less competitive and shrinking press freedom. When government institutions erode like this, it isn’t just bad for democracy - it also hurts countries economically, research shows. To understand why, we applied our background as political scientists focused on developing economies to study Venezuela, Turkey and Hungary – all countries that have seen varying degrees of democratic backsliding in recent years. The authoritarian economic problem All three countries have struggled economically as their democratically elected leaders turned authoritarian over the past five years. In Turkey, President Recep Erdoğan has been steadily consolidating presidential powers for years while attacking the independence of both the legislative and judicial branches, as well as restricting press and academic freedoms. Turkey’s economy has struggled in kind, with gross domestic product dropping about 60 per cent between 2013 and 2016. Its currency, the lire, also collapsed last year, plunging the country into crisis. Under the autocratic leadership of President Nicolás Maduro – who is now in a bitter power struggle to retain the presidency – Venezuela has seen financial ruin. Inflation hit 80,000 per cent there last year, and food and medicine are scarce. Venezuela’s government stopped releasing economic data in 2014, but its gross domestic product is believed to have shrunk by around 15 per cent for each of the last three years. Meanwhile, Hungary has stagnated as Prime Minister Victor Orbán has become increasingly undemocratic. Since the 2014 election, when Orban’s grip on power really tightened, growth has mostly dropped, from 4 per cent in 2014 to 2 per cent in 2016. The World Bank predicts that Hungary’s economy will continue to contract through 2020 and beyond. Leaders are fallible Authoritarianism isn’t always bad for the economy. Autocratic China and Singapore are both economic success stories, growing at double digits – a pace largely unseen in Western democracies. But these countries were never set up to be democracies. When a one-time democracy turns toward authoritarianism, however, the economic effect is often negative. That’s because, in a democracy, economic policy is meant to be made jointly, by various elected officials from the executive and legislative branches. Other independent government agencies, like the US Federal Reserve or central bank, help decide economic policy, too. Lawmakers check impulsive decisions by presidents in a number of formal and informal ways, our research shows. Policies that relate to government investments, taxing and spending, among other issues, are generally the result of negotiation between the two branches. When legislatures can no longer effectively serve this function – because they’ve been sidelined, as in Venezuela and Turkey, or because they are dominated by the ruling party, as in Hungary – there’s little to prevent authoritarian leaders from making bad choices that hurt the economy. Turkey is a good example of the risks that come from having one all-powerful, fallible leader. In July 2018, President Erdoğan expanded his executive powers to include making key appointments to Turkey’s central bank and appointed his son-in-law to lead economic policy in Turkey. Erdoğan then restricted the bank from raising interest rates to curb rising inflation – despite warnings from economists that this move would lead the value of the Turkish currency to plummet. And, of course, it did. Social unrest is bad for the economy Legislatures play an important role in setting economic policy also because, as representative bodies made up of different political parties, they serve as channels through which people and social groups can make demands on policymakers. In a healthy legislative debate in a functioning democracy, opposing parties develop economic policies that help their constituents. They also try to change laws that they believe will hurt the people they represent. When authoritarian leaders sideline opposition parties and stack the legislature with their supporters, the only way for citizens to air their grievances is on the streets. Venezuelans staged months of mass daily protests in 2017 after President Maduro stripped Venezuela’s opposition-dominated parliament of its powers. They are marching again now, demanding Maduro’s ouster. Social unrest can deepen economic woes, especially when it gets violent. Riots may destroy physical infrastructures like oil pipelines or block highways that keeps the country running. People may flee for their own safety, leaving jobs undone and critical positions unfilled. Democratic backsliding reduces foreign investment International markets, too, dislike social unrest. When protests are prolonged or if the governments crack down violently, it is common for investors to flee. International investors get worried, too, when parliaments have too few opposition parties to effectively check the executive branch, our study finds. When democratically elected leaders turn authoritarian, investors get nervous, withdrawing funds and reducing investments. Since 2013, Hungary, Venezuela and Turkey have all seen notable declines in their foreign direct investment, a measure of global confidence in a country, according to the World Bank. Declines range from 66 per cent in Venezuela to 300 per cent in Hungary. One reason investment drops as democracy erodes is because investors fear the government could begin meddling in their businesses in ways that reduce profits. This is a common strategy of authoritarian leaders from both the right and the left. Since taking sweeping control of Hungary’s parliament in 2018, for example, President Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party has reasserted government control over major energy firms, taking over public utilities and increasing government oversight of foreign companies that operate in the country. In Venezuela, the left-wing Maduro has taken over food production in the country, ordering companies like Nestle and Pepsi to vacate their factories in 2015. It’s all about the legislatures Our study found one condition that allows economies to thrive even when democracy is in decline: functioning political parties in independent legislatures. In the Philippines, hard-right president Rodrigo Duterte has imprisoned, even killed, thousands of citizens as part of his “war on drugs.” Duterte has also arrested powerful people who criticize his policies. So far, however, the Filipino parliament is still fairly functional, with opposition parties that operate freely. Consequently, the Filipino economy remains unaffected by Duterte’s authoritarianism. Gross domestic product has grown at a good rate of around 7 per cent since 2012. Foreign investments have also been increasing. Sharing some power with lawmakers gives the economy a boost. Ultimately, that may help these authoritarian-leaning leaders stay in power longer. (Nisha Bellinger is Assistant Professor of Political Science, Boise State University; Byunghwan Son is Assistant Professor of Global Affairs, George Mason University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Is authoritarianism bad for the economy? Ask Venezuela, Hungary or Turkey

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday&nbsp;he had not yet seen an acceptable plan for the creation of a safe zone in northeastern Syria, three weeks after US President Donald Trump suggested establishing the zone.

"There is no satisfactory plan that is put before us concretely yet," Erdogan told a parliamentary meeting of his AK Party.

"Of course we are loyal to our agreements, our promise is a promise. But our patience is not limitless," he added.

Turkey wants to set up the safe zone with logistical support from allies and says it should be cleared of the US-backed Kurdish YPG militia which Ankara considers a terrorist group.

Erdogan also said that if terrorists are not removed from the northern town of Manbij in a few weeks, Turkey's waiting time will end.

The safe zone will be an issue at a meeting on Wednesday in the United States of ministers from a coalition of countries fighting the Islamic State militant group. Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will attend those talks.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he had not yet seen an acceptable plan for the creation of a safe zone in northeastern Syria, three weeks after US President Donald Trump suggested establishing the zone.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday he had not yet seen an acceptable plan for the creation of a safe zone in northeastern Syria, three weeks after US President Donald Trump suggested establishing the zone. "There is no satisfactory plan that is put before us concretely yet," Erdogan told a parliamentary meeting of his AK Party. "Of course we are loyal to our agreements, our promise is a promise. But our patience is not limitless," he added. Turkey wants to set up the safe zone with logistical support from allies and says it should be cleared of the US-backed Kurdish YPG militia which Ankara considers a terrorist group. Erdogan also said that if terrorists are not removed from the northern town of Manbij in a few weeks, Turkey's waiting time will end. The safe zone will be an issue at a meeting on Wednesday in the United States of ministers from a coalition of countries fighting the Islamic State militant group. Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will attend those talks.

Turkey's Erdogan says no satisfactory plan with US on north Syria safe zone

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