[Gatestone Institute] - Erdogan's government claimed the cargo was humanitarian aid to Turkoman locals in Syria but then filed criminal charges against the editors Cumhuriyet, for being members of a "terrorist organization," espionage and revealing state secrets.... The prosecution asked for life sentences for two Cumhuriyet editors. Since then, Can Dundar, then-editor-in-chief, has been living in Germany in exile.
- At the beginning of May, Sedat Peker, a convicted Turkish mob boss and a fierce supporter of Erdogan -- until now -- began posting videos on social media in which he made uncorroborated accusations of corruption, murder and drug-running against top politicians.
- After weeks of silence, Erdogan... ordered prosecutors and judges to investigate and establish that all of Peker's claims were lies and a smear campaign against his government. Who will trust the independence of a legal probe when the president has already ordered its verdict?
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