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Long arm of Ankara

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In Dutch politics[1] and media, the "long arm of Ankara" (Dutch: lange arm van Ankara) is a metaphorical reference to the soft power the government of Turkey allegedly exerts in various European countries (notably ones with significant Turkish minorities) by using European Turks as proxies; and in the same manner it denotes the influence the Turkish government holds or attempts to hold over the Turkish diaspora.[2] As it is seen as a recent development that has occasionally been attributed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, it is also less commonly known as "Erdogan's long arm" (lange arm van Erdogan).[3][4][5]

Name

The term long arm typically signifies a far-reaching influence of something, as is the case in the idiom "long arm of the law". Ankara is a metonym for the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Turkish parliament) which is housed in the capital city of Ankara.

International use

Internationally, some of the earliest mentions of the term that caught on were regarding Turkish President Erdogan calling for the prosecution of a German and a Dutch comedian over their satirical portrayals of him. Voice of America referred to it as the "long arm of the Turkish State."[6]

Several outlets reported that the parliamentary faction run by two Turkish-Dutch people, DENK, had been accused of this due to controversy regarding their approach to Israel and anti-Semitism, the Armenian genocide, and the Turkish regime in general (especially after its arrest of Dutch journalist Ebru Umar).[7]

Balkan Insight also used the term "long arm of Ankara" when referring to the Bulgarian party Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity and Tolerance, who had been accused of having links to the Turkish government.[8]

When the German police raided the homes of several Muslim imams suspected of spying for Turkey, Minister of Justice Heiko Maas stated: "If the suspicion that some Ditib imams were spying is confirmed, the organisation must be seen, at least in parts, as a long arm of the Turkish government.”[9][10]

Anti-gülenist purge

With the anti-Gülen purges in Turkey starting in 2016, some media have applied the term to the Turkish government's ability to arrest Turkish nationals living in other countries. On 30 March 2018, Ahval, an independent London-based media source founded by dissident Turkish journalists, reported that six Turkish nationals were detained in Kosovo and deported to Turkey. They were accused of being part of the Gülen movement. The move was condemned by Kosovar officials that included Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and President Hashim Thaci. According to author Nick Ashdown, Kosovo was especially susceptible to "Ankara’s long arm" because its rule of law is still "very shaky".[11] Haaretz also interviewed the wives of Turkish Kosovars who were being detained in Turkey for alleged involvement, writing that "Erdogan's Long Arm" had "snatched over 100 alleged members of the Gülen movement from other countries in recent years."[12]

In 2017, Politico wrote about a Turkish man being arrested in Tbilisi, Georgia, despite having already remained in the Caucasus for a decade. While most Western nations have refused Turkish demands for extradition, other countries like Malaysia and Saudi Arabia have generally complied. Several other countries shut down schools linked to the movement due to Turkish pressure, and Turkey has cancelled passports of people sympathetic with the Gülen movement, such as NBA player Enes Kanter. In a few cases, its government has been accused of abduction and torture.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ Netherlands says it wary of 'long arm' of Turkish state, Reuters
  2. ^ De lange arm van Ankara balt de vuist (Dutch), Metro
  3. ^ Hear someone insult Erdogan? Report it to us, says Turkish consulate in the Netherlands., Washington Post
  4. ^ De onzichtbare lange arm van Erdogan (Dutch), De Volkskrant
  5. ^ German politicians suggest taxing Muslims to fight radicalization, Deseret News
  6. ^ For Turkey’s Erdogan, Free Speech No Laughing Matter, Voice of America
  7. ^ Dutch-Turkish MP demands security detail after receiving threats, NL Times
  8. ^ New Bulgarian Party Denies Being Turkey's 'Trojan Horse', Balkan Insight
  9. ^ German police raids target Muslim clerics accused of spying for Turkey, The Daily Telegraph
  10. ^ Germany Poised to Mount More Raids on Turkish Imams Accused of Spying, Voice of America
  11. ^ How Ankara's long arms caught 6 alleged Gülenists in Kosovo, Ahval
  12. ^ Erdogan's Long Arm: The Turkish Dissidents Kidnapped From Europe, Haaretz
  13. ^ Long arm of Turkey’s anti-Gülenist purge, Politico
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