Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
President Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, conveying the reasons for ordering the expulsion of foreign ambassadors, including the United States, from their country.
Erdoan ordered persona non-grata to foreign ambassadors because of their statements in support of Turkish activist Osman Kavala, who is now in custody.
The ambassadors to be expelled include the US, Germany, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, Norway and New Zealand. Citing Turkish media Anadolu, they made statements in the media urging the Turkish government to release Kavala.
Diplomats from western countries considered the case of Kavala’s arrest to overshadow the problems of democracy and law in Turkey.
The statement of the US ambassadors also angered Erdogan. He then ordered the Turkish Foreign Ministry to summon the 10 foreign ambassadors, on Tuesday (18/10), before ordering them to be expelled.
“This is not the tribal country you think of. This is Turkey,” Erdogan said at a ceremony in Eskisehir province.
Kavala was arrested in 2017 for the Gezi protests in 2013. A handful of demonstrations in Istanbul have turned into national protests in the country. The demonstration resulted in the death of eight protesters and one policeman.
Turkey has detained the 64-year-old man since 2017 without a sentence. He has faced a range of charges ranging from Erdogan’s anti-government protests in 2013 to alleged links to the failed 2016 military coup attempt.
“I have ordered our foreign minister to announce that the 10 foreign ambassadors will be persona nongrata as soon as possible,” Erdogan said, Saturday (10/23).
Erdogan did not mention the exact time the 10 ambassadors were officially expelled. However, Erdogan insisted, “They must leave here on the day they can no longer be in Turkey.”
While it was behind the iron traps that enclosed him, Kavala said he seemed to be a tool of a foreign conspiracy to overthrow Erdogan.
“I am accused of being part of a conspiracy allegedly organized by foreign powers, my release would undermine the fiction in question and this is not something the government wants,” Kavala said.
(bac)
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