The arguments you put forward, ignorant of the corruption and irregularities that have been taking place by the detained people,, are baseless and contain incomplete information. I do not know what portion of the 85 million you mean when you say the nation is fighting back. Your perspective is the same language as Soros theorists.
Ah yes, the classic ‘you’re ignorant of the facts’ deflection—always a favourite of those who can’t properly defend the indefensible.
To be clear, me criticising Erdogan’s authoritarianism doesn’t require ignoring corruption elsewhere. But let’s not pretend this is about ‘irregularities.’ This is clearly about silencing dissent, plain and simple.
Do not conveniently forget that, since consolidating power, Erdogan has purged the judiciary, jailed journalists, throttled the internet, and rewritten the constitution to suit his ambitions.
He also did not stop trading with Israel despite the fact he was very loud about pretending to be against it. But that's just a personal beef.
As for the 85 million people... If history has taught me anything it is that great changes don't happen overnight but if you keep pushing the people...well...
I’ll let the protests—and the VPN usage—speak for themselves.
Before landing this response by the way, I have to tell you that I do appreciate your work, especially your coverage of Gaza. I must give your credits and thank you for that very important journalism. However, when it comes to Türkiye’s politics, a deeper understanding of its history is essential to end up with a verdict as you have done. Things are often upside down a few times when it comes to politics in Türkiye.
My main argument was that your article contains baseless and incomplete claims— ironically mirroring the establishment media and its writers that you often would criticize. As an example, you focused on the secondary "aiding PKK" probe while ignoring the primary charges against İmamoğlu, which include bid rigging, fraud, bribery, and illegal personal data monetization, with visual evidence available even now before any verdict or publicized information and officially released evidence (search Para Kuleleri). To keep in mind, he has a history of telling blatant lies and manipulating, while he is currently exploiting public frustration with the government to deflect from his own corruption, and this is the critical part to consider when you are channeling all your effort to criticise one side over some news erupted and totally skip the importance and reality of this case, helping them cover a more corrupt "opposition" (remember the opposition was taken over by its own opposition after the latest elections Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has lost). And to say the least, opposition's cool new guy is the Mayor of Istanbul having already a job to do, but very busy with playing for the elections to be held after 3 years - which is another fact that he arranged a primary where he is the only candidate (talking about autocracy, right!?) scheduled just after he is taken into custody, knowing that this investigstion was inevitable, just to fuel his plan to exploit people's energy by supporting their perception that he was taken into custody only because he was preparing for a primary (before 3 years from the elections).
I surely think your criticism of censorship is valid, agree on that point. But immediate judgment on an ongoing investigation; initiated by prosecution based on the evidence submitted by his own CHP party members — ignores emerging evidence. And yes, consider this as a classic, but I have no intention to defend any indefensible, I do not even intent to do that. Only if justice matters for you, you should see the full picture and at least be a bit patient for the facts to surface - maybe you need to dig more and change your sources this time, as a journalist seeking truth.
As for Türkiye's trade with Israel, it is so obvious that your claims lack of any evidence, maybe other than a few controlled news articles. Because I have first hand experience that large suppliers that I work with confirmed that it is no more possible to export materials to Israel from Türkiye. Türkiye has already made itsl sacrifices, cutting trade revenue from $9.5 billion in 2022 to $7 billion in 2023. Furthermore, as of May 2, 2024, Türkiye has entirely halted trade with Israel, and all customs operations have been shut down. These are verifiable facts. Be sure that we are together as one with the people and the state against Israel's genocide on Palestinian people. Let's agree on this one. I also admire the Irish stance on this, in return!
I no longer find it possible to believe that the lurch to the right in politics across Europe is not somehow correlated or even choreographed. Whatever the influence we desperately need a country to fight back against this trend and replace the incumbent autocrat. It’s what democracy requires to stay healthy. I expect Erdogan is still popular amongst the rural peasantry but this isn’t the demographic that craves democracy especially in a (now) Muslim country so, for the sake of democracy I would ignore its preference and hope that the aspiring President - Ekrem Imamoglu - is allowed to run and preferably win.
I know nothing of Imamoglu but for the sake of openness and representation in the West I say ‘come on Turkey: show us how to hold on to democracy!’
I know very little about him either but what I do know is, it's very strange for a government to nullify somebody's Bachelor's diploma on any day of the week. And it becomes even more bizarre when you know that Türkiye requires that for presidential candidacy. When you add this to the number of other questionable things that Erdogan has done I think it's very clear to see what's happening
Why do people keep voting en masse for these monsters? Most people in any given so-called nation seem either willfully ignorant, profoundly stupid or morally malfeasant, or how would demented dolts like the Tangerine Tyrant and his counterpart in Türkiye Erdogan come to be reelected? Who with an ounce of sense and discernment would cast a vote for these mendacious halfwits?
The arguments you put forward, ignorant of the corruption and irregularities that have been taking place by the detained people,, are baseless and contain incomplete information. I do not know what portion of the 85 million you mean when you say the nation is fighting back. Your perspective is the same language as Soros theorists.
Ah yes, the classic ‘you’re ignorant of the facts’ deflection—always a favourite of those who can’t properly defend the indefensible.
To be clear, me criticising Erdogan’s authoritarianism doesn’t require ignoring corruption elsewhere. But let’s not pretend this is about ‘irregularities.’ This is clearly about silencing dissent, plain and simple.
Do not conveniently forget that, since consolidating power, Erdogan has purged the judiciary, jailed journalists, throttled the internet, and rewritten the constitution to suit his ambitions.
He also did not stop trading with Israel despite the fact he was very loud about pretending to be against it. But that's just a personal beef.
As for the 85 million people... If history has taught me anything it is that great changes don't happen overnight but if you keep pushing the people...well...
I’ll let the protests—and the VPN usage—speak for themselves.
It is interesting how power corrupts.
Before landing this response by the way, I have to tell you that I do appreciate your work, especially your coverage of Gaza. I must give your credits and thank you for that very important journalism. However, when it comes to Türkiye’s politics, a deeper understanding of its history is essential to end up with a verdict as you have done. Things are often upside down a few times when it comes to politics in Türkiye.
My main argument was that your article contains baseless and incomplete claims— ironically mirroring the establishment media and its writers that you often would criticize. As an example, you focused on the secondary "aiding PKK" probe while ignoring the primary charges against İmamoğlu, which include bid rigging, fraud, bribery, and illegal personal data monetization, with visual evidence available even now before any verdict or publicized information and officially released evidence (search Para Kuleleri). To keep in mind, he has a history of telling blatant lies and manipulating, while he is currently exploiting public frustration with the government to deflect from his own corruption, and this is the critical part to consider when you are channeling all your effort to criticise one side over some news erupted and totally skip the importance and reality of this case, helping them cover a more corrupt "opposition" (remember the opposition was taken over by its own opposition after the latest elections Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has lost). And to say the least, opposition's cool new guy is the Mayor of Istanbul having already a job to do, but very busy with playing for the elections to be held after 3 years - which is another fact that he arranged a primary where he is the only candidate (talking about autocracy, right!?) scheduled just after he is taken into custody, knowing that this investigstion was inevitable, just to fuel his plan to exploit people's energy by supporting their perception that he was taken into custody only because he was preparing for a primary (before 3 years from the elections).
I surely think your criticism of censorship is valid, agree on that point. But immediate judgment on an ongoing investigation; initiated by prosecution based on the evidence submitted by his own CHP party members — ignores emerging evidence. And yes, consider this as a classic, but I have no intention to defend any indefensible, I do not even intent to do that. Only if justice matters for you, you should see the full picture and at least be a bit patient for the facts to surface - maybe you need to dig more and change your sources this time, as a journalist seeking truth.
As for Türkiye's trade with Israel, it is so obvious that your claims lack of any evidence, maybe other than a few controlled news articles. Because I have first hand experience that large suppliers that I work with confirmed that it is no more possible to export materials to Israel from Türkiye. Türkiye has already made itsl sacrifices, cutting trade revenue from $9.5 billion in 2022 to $7 billion in 2023. Furthermore, as of May 2, 2024, Türkiye has entirely halted trade with Israel, and all customs operations have been shut down. These are verifiable facts. Be sure that we are together as one with the people and the state against Israel's genocide on Palestinian people. Let's agree on this one. I also admire the Irish stance on this, in return!
I no longer find it possible to believe that the lurch to the right in politics across Europe is not somehow correlated or even choreographed. Whatever the influence we desperately need a country to fight back against this trend and replace the incumbent autocrat. It’s what democracy requires to stay healthy. I expect Erdogan is still popular amongst the rural peasantry but this isn’t the demographic that craves democracy especially in a (now) Muslim country so, for the sake of democracy I would ignore its preference and hope that the aspiring President - Ekrem Imamoglu - is allowed to run and preferably win.
I know nothing of Imamoglu but for the sake of openness and representation in the West I say ‘come on Turkey: show us how to hold on to democracy!’
I know very little about him either but what I do know is, it's very strange for a government to nullify somebody's Bachelor's diploma on any day of the week. And it becomes even more bizarre when you know that Türkiye requires that for presidential candidacy. When you add this to the number of other questionable things that Erdogan has done I think it's very clear to see what's happening
Why do people keep voting en masse for these monsters? Most people in any given so-called nation seem either willfully ignorant, profoundly stupid or morally malfeasant, or how would demented dolts like the Tangerine Tyrant and his counterpart in Türkiye Erdogan come to be reelected? Who with an ounce of sense and discernment would cast a vote for these mendacious halfwits?
Dictators suck. Push them all out.