Turkish Nationals Detained in Kosovo and Face Possible Extradition to Turkey

Kosovan online media has been reporting that six Turkish nationals who have legal residence and/or working permit in the country have been detained by Kosovan police on demands of the Turkish regime and that the operations are continuing on against other Turkish nationals alleged to be affiliated with the Gulen Movement. According to pro government media 6 people arrested by the intelligence service of Turkey and brought to Turkey by a private jet. Sources from the UN apparatus in the country suggested that the list of to-be-detained Turkish nationals living in Kosovo includes 200 names. Lawyers of the teachers have complained to the local media that they are not being informed about the whereabouts of their clients.

The six Turkish nationals detained up until now are, Mr. Mustafa Erdem, general director of Mehmet Akif College run by Turkish businesspeople in Kosovo, Mr. Yusuf Karabina, deputy director of the same school, Mr. Kahraman Demirez, director of the Djakovica branch of the school, Mr. Cihan Ozkan, a biology teacher, Mr. Hasan Huseyin Gunakan a chemistry teacher from the same school and Prof. Osman Karakaya, a Turkish medical doctor apparently staying in the country as a tourist. The detention came a month after a February visit by Deputy Minister of Justice of Turkey Mr. Bilal Ucar complaining about the schools run in this country by the alleged Gulenists. Kosova had previously detained another Turkish national Mr. Ugur Toksoy on alleged grounds of involvement with Gulen Movement but a Kosovan court suspended the extradition process due to lack of material evidence. The fact that the detentions came on the day of Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim’s visit to the Balkans is also troubling. Turkish nationals with alleged links to the Gulen Movement had occasionally been detained and subjected to lengthy interrogations in order to ease the pressure of the Turkish politicians during their trips to friendly countries.

For more detailed information about these risks supporters of the Gulen Movement experience, please look at the report prepared by the Advocates of Silenced Turkey on the current and possible threats supporters of the Gulen Movement face abroad titled “I Cannot Say We Are Absolutely Safe Even Abroad.”

Download the report as pdf: AST_Report_Threats_Gulen Movement

Download sample statement as a word document:

We urge everyone to take action. Express your views or send attached statement to following relevant individuals and organizations: AST_Letter_Kosovo_Detention[UPDATED]

1) President of the Republic of Kosovo
Office of The President Building of the Parlament of Kosova Mother Theresa street 10 000 Prishtina, Kosova

2) Cabinet members:
Florentina Baraku
Senior Executive Officer
Phone: +381 (38) 200-12503
Email: [email protected]

Hana Bajrami-Rexhepi
Senior Executive Officer
Phone: +381 (38) 200-12015
Email: [email protected]

Arlinda Ramadani Selimi
Senior Executive Officer
Phone: +381 (38) 200-12054
Email: [email protected]

Protocol:
Phone: + 381 (38) 211 650 ext. (200)12 503; 12 002
Fax: 038 211 651
Email: [email protected]

Department of Communication:
Phone: +381 38 212 460
Office: C- 405- A
Email: [email protected]

3) The European Court of Human Rights
Council of Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg cedex
Phone: +33 (0)3 88 41 20 18
Fax: +33 (0)3 88 41 27 30

Mr. Günter SCHIRMER
Head of the Secretariat
Phone: +33/3 88.41.2809
[email protected]

Mme Aurélie HAUG
Assistant
Phone: 33/3 90.21.5229
[email protected]

4) U.S. Department of State
Email: https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform
Phone: (202) 647-6575
Twitter: @StateDept
Website: https://www.state.gov/

5) United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (+41) 22 917 9656
Twitter: @UN_HRC
Website: www.ohchr.org/hrc

6) Human Rights Watch
Twitter: @hrw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumanRightsWatch
NY Address:350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA
Tel: +1-212-290-4700
Fax: +1-212-736-1300

Emma Daly, Communications Director
Tel: +1-212-216-1835
Fax: +1-212-736-1300

7) Human Rights Foundation
Twitter: @HRF
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanrightsfoundation/
New York Address:350 5th Ave., #4515 New York, NY, 10001
Phone Number: (212) 246-8486

8) Freedom House
Twitter: @FreedomHouseDC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreedomHouseDC
[email protected]
Phone: 202-296-5101
Fax: 202-293-2840

Annie Boyajian, Advocacy Manager
[email protected]

9) Amnesty International
Twitter: @amnestyusa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amnestyusa
[email protected]

10) International Federation for Houman Rights
Twitter: @fidh_en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FIDH.HumanRights
FIDH AT THE UN (NEW-YORK)
110 East 42nd street, Suite 1309 NY 10017 New-York
Phone Number: 001 646 395 7103

11) International Court of Justice
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (+31) 70 302 23 23
Fax: (+31) 70 364 99 28
Twitter: @CIJ_ICJ
Website: http://www.icj-cij.org/en

NEWS ARTICLES ON THIS SUBJECT:

(ENGLISH) “Erdogan slams Kosovo PM over sackings after Gulen-linked deportations”
http://www.euronews.com/2018/03/31/erdogan-attacks-kosovo-prime-minister-for-sacking-officials-who-sanctioned-teacher-kidnap

(EGNLISH) “Kosovo PM sacks security chief, interior minister over Turkish arrests”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-kosovo/kosovo-pm-sacks-security-chief-interior-minister-over-turkish-arrests-idUSKBN1H60SC

(ENGLISH) “Kosovo investigates seizure of Turkish nationals”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-kosovo-security-turkey/kosovo-investigates-seizure-of-turkish-nationals-idUSKBN1H70CC

(ENGLISH) “How Ankara’s long arms caught 6 alleged Gülenists in Kosovo”
https://ahvalnews.com/kosova-gulenists/how-ankaras-long-arms-caught-6-alleged-gulenists-kosovo

(EGNLISH) “Kosovo investigates seizure of Turkish nationals”
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-kosovo-security-turkey/kosovo-investigates-seizure-of-turkish-nationals-idUKKBN1H70C8

(ENGLISH) “Kosovo security chiefs sacked after six Turks deported”
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43596926

(ENGLISH) “Kosovo arrests 6 Turks linked to Erdogan opponent”
https://wtop.com/europe/2018/03/kosovo-arrests-5-turks-linked-to-opponent-of-erdogan/

(ENGLISH) “Kosovo arrests 5 Turks linked to opponent of Erdogan”
http://www.unb.com.bd/world-news/Kosovo-arrests-5-Turks-linked-to-opponent-of-Erdogan/66820

(ENGLISH) “Six Turks arrested in Kosovo over Gulen links extradited to Turkey: Anadolu”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-kosovo/six-turks-arrested-in-kosovo-over-gulen-links-extradited-to-turkey-anadolu-idUSKBN1H51JL

(ENGLISH) “Six Turks Arrested in Kosovo Over Gulen Links Extradited to Turkey: Anadolu”
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-03-29/kosovo-arrests-six-turks-over-links-to-gulen-schools-police

(ENGLISH) “[BREAKING] Tens of students march to Pristina airport after finding out Gulen educators not yet deported”
https://turkeypurge.com/breaking-tens-students-march-pristina-airport-finding-gulen-educators-not-yet-deported

(ENGLISH) “Kosovo Arrests Five Turkish School Employees”
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/kosovo-arrests-directors-of-turkish-school-03-29-2018

(ENGLISH) “Prime Minister of Kosovo says not informed about deportation of Gülenist educators to Turkey”
https://turkeypurge.com/prime-minister-kosovo-says-not-informed-deportation-gulenist-educators-turkey

(ENGLISH) “Kosovan PM’s authority in doubt amid claims state intelligence arrested Turks without his knowledge”
http://www.euronews.com/2018/03/29/kosovan-pm-s-authority-in-doubt-amid-claims-state-intelligence-arrested-turks-without-his-

(TURKISH) “Sınır dışı edilen Türklerle ilgili konuşan Kosova Cumhurbaşkanı: Kurumlarımız insan haklarını hiçe saydı”
http://tr.euronews.com/2018/03/29/kosova-basbakani-turklerin-kacirilmalari-bilgisi-bana-verilmedi

(TURKISH) “Kosova’da Gülen operasyonu ile ilgili soruşturma”
https://ahvalnews2.com/tr/kosova-gulenciler-krizi/kosovada-gulen-operasyonu-ile-ilgili-sorusturma#undefined.uxfs

(ALBANIAN) “Komisioni për Mbikëqyrjen e AKI-së paralajmëron shkarkimin e drejtorit Driton Gashi!”
http://zeri.info/aktuale/192798/komisioni-per-mbikeqyrjen-e-aki-se-paralajmeron-shkarkimin-e-drejtorit-driton-gashi/

(ALBANIAN) “Kryeministri thotë se gylenistët u arrestuan për shkak të lejeve të qëndrimit”
http://m.gazetaexpress.com/lajme/kryeministri-thote-se-gylenistet-u-arrestuan-per-shkak-te-lejeve-te-qendrimit-517719/

(ALBANIAN) “Shkolla e Gylenit: Të arrestuarit ende s’janë deportuar në Turqi, ja pasojat e ekstradimit të tyre”
http://www.botasot.info/kosova/861536/shkolla-e-gylenit-te-arrestuarit-ende-s-jane-deportuar-ne-turqi-ja-pasojat-e-ekstradimit-te-tyre/

(FRENCH) “Les espions turcs “rapatrient” 6 partisans présumés de Gülen arrêtés au Kosovo”
https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1107760/les-espions-turcs-rapatrient-6-partisans-presumes-de-gulen-arretes-au-kosovo.html

(GERMAN) “Türkische Geheimdienstoperation: Sind Verhaftete Gülen-Anhänger noch im Kosovo?”
https://dtj-online.de/tuerkische-geheimdienstoperation-sind-verhaftete-guelen-anhaenger-noch-im-kosovo-95954

FACEBOOK POSTS ON THIS SUBJECT:

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2070981902917886&id=112615142087915

TWEETS ON THIS SUBJECT:

https://twishort.com/tsVmc