DOCSLIB.ORG

Prisoners of the Purge: the Victims of Turkey’S Failing Rule of Law

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Prisoners of the Purge: the Victims of Turkey’S Failing Rule of Law PRISONERS OF THE PURGE: THE VICTIMS OF TURKEY’S FAILING RULE OF LAW HEARING BEFORE THE COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION NOVEMBER 15, 2017 Printed for the use of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe [CSCE 115–1–7] ( Available via www.csce.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 27–643 PDF WASHINGTON : 2018 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS HOUSE SENATE CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi, Co-Chairman Chairman ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland ROBERT B. ADERHOLT, Alabama JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas MICHAEL C. BURGESS, Texas CORY GARDNER, Colorado STEVE COHEN, Tennessee MARCO RUBIO, Florida RICHARD HUDSON, North Carolina JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois THOM TILLIS, North Carolina SHEILA JACKSON LEE, Texas TOM UDALL, New Mexico GWEN MOORE, Wisconsin SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island EXECUTIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS Vacant, Department of State Vacant, Department of Commerce Vacant, Department of Defense [II] PRISONERS OF THE PURGE: THE VICTIMS OF TURKEY’S FAILING RULE OF LAW COMMISSIONERS Page Hon. Thom Tillis, Commissioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe ..................................................... 1 Hon. Michael C. Burgess, Commissioner, Commission on Se- curity and Cooperation in Europe .......................................... 3 Hon. Randy Hultgren, Commissioner, Commission on Secu- rity and Cooperation in Europe .............................................. 5 Hon. Jeanne Shaheen, Commissioner, Commission on Secu- rity and Cooperation in Europe .............................................. 21 Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, Ranking Member, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe ................................. 28 Hon. John Boozman, Commissioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe WITNESSES Jonathan R. Cohen, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State 5 CeCe Heil, Executive Counsel, American Center for Law and Justice ....................................................................................... 15 Jacqueline Furnari, Daughter of Andrew Brunson .................. 16 Nate Schenkkan, Director of the Nations in Transit Project, Freedom House ........................................................................ 18 APPENDIX Prepared statement of Hon. Thom Tillis ................................... 33 Prepared statement of Hon. Chris Smith ................................. 36 Prepared statement of Jonathan R. Cohen ............................... 38 Prepared statement of CeCe Heil .............................................. 43 Prepared statement of Jacqueline Furnari ............................... 45 Prepared statement of Nate Schenkkan ................................... 48 [III] IV Page MATERIAL FOR THE RECORD Questions submitted by Hon. Thom Tillis to Jonathan R. Cohen .......................................................... 55 to CeCe Heil ......................................................................... 60 to Nate Schenkkan .............................................................. 62 Questions submitted by Hon. Jeanne Shaheen to Jonathan R. Cohen .......................................................... 65 Letter from Kubra Go¨lge to Congress ....................................... 68 Statement from the Committee of Concerned Scientists ......... 69 Freedom House report on internet freedom in Turkey ............ 74 PRISONERS OF THE PURGE: THE VICTIMS OF TURKEY’S FAILING RULE OF LAW November 15, 2017 COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE WASHINGTON, DC The hearing was held at 9:30 a.m. in Room 124, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC, Hon. Thom Tillis, Commissioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, presiding. Commissioners present: Hon. Thom Tillis, Commissioner, Com- mission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; Hon. Michael C. Burgess, Commissioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; Hon. Randy Hultgren, Commissioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; Hon. Jeanne Shaheen, Com- missioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, Ranking Member, Commission on Secu- rity and Cooperation in Europe; and Hon. John Boozman, Commis- sioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Witnesses present: Jonathan R. Cohen, Deputy Assistant Sec- retary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State; CeCe Heil, Executive Counsel, American Center for Law and Justice; Jacqueline Furnari, Daughter of Andrew Brunson; and Nate Schenkkan, Director of the Nations in Transit Project, Free- dom House. HON. THOM TILLIS, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE Mr. TILLIS. Good morning, everyone. This hearing of the Helsinki Commission will come to order. I want to welcome everyone here to this Helsinki Commission hearing titled ‘‘Prisoners of the Purge: The Victims of Turkey’s Failing Rule of Law.’’ I’m honored to be chairing this hearing on behalf of Senator and Chairman Wicker. As of today, an American pastor has spent 404 days in a Turkish jail without a trial, without access to evidence against him, the subject of a vicious smear campaign from the Turkish press, and facing life in prison on fabricated charges of being a terrorist and a coup plotter. Elsewhere in Turkey, a Turkish-American NASA scientist has spent 480 days in prison, much of it in solitary confinement, on ter- rorism and espionage charges springing from a baseless testimony of a disgruntled relative and a bizarre compilation of circumstan- tial evidence, including a dollar bill seized from his parents’ home. (1) 2 Today also marks 253 days behind bars for a veteran Turkish employee of the U.S. consulate in Adana who stands accused of ter- rorism for doing his job as he has for 30 years: communicating on behalf of the United States Government with local community contacts. These prisoners—Andrew Brunson, Serkan Go¨lge, and Hamza Uluc¸ay—are the innocent victims of Turkey’s collapsing rule of law. With every passing day, the injustice of these detentions com- pounds itself. For the Brunson family next week, another Thanks- giving apart. For Kubra and her two young kids, another day away from their home in Houston. For Hamza, another inexplicable pun- ishment for his dedication to the job he loves. But the focus of this hearing is not personal, it’s principle. Just as Andrew, Serkan, and Hamza have been victims of Turkey’s fail- ing rule of law, there are literally thousands more like them behind bars today. Since imposing a state of emergency nearly 16 months ago, the Turkish Government has detained more than 60,000 peo- ple and fired or suspended upwards of 100,000 others from their jobs. The so-called Decree Laws authorizing these punitive meas- ures do not establish any evidentiary standard for application, thereby permitting wide-scale abuse as seen in the cases I’ve high- lighted. Of course, context matters, and the Turkish Government invokes its constitutional state of emergency provisions in the wake of the July 2016 coup attempt, an unacceptable and violent attack on the constitutional order of a NATO ally—an attack I unequivocally con- demn. But the question is not whether Turkey has the right to pur- sue justice after such a national trauma: the question is how it goes about it. The Helsinki Commission has called this hearing today to get to the bottom of the accumulating injustices under the state of emer- gency. As a participating State of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Turkey has committed itself to upholding certain rule-of-law standards even under extraordinary cir- cumstances. Among these commitments is the guarantee of equal- ity before the law. However, Turkey’s commitment to this principle has been called into serious question. Just two months ago, President Erdog˘an pro- posed an outrageous swap: Andrew Brunson, a pastor, ‘‘for a pas- tor’’ in his words. If the United States would circumvent its rule of law to extradite a free man, Erdog˘an suggested, then Turkey would release a wrongfully imprisoned one. Let us be clear about what President Erdog˘an proposed: This is not justice; it’s ransom. The United States should not expect, much less accept, this sort of treatment from a NATO ally. The harassment and detention of our consulate staff has also overstepped the bounds of diplomatic conduct among partners. I was glad to see the State Department in the past month impose some real cost for this behavior by suspending non-immigrant visa services to Turkey. While the department announced last week that it had resumed these services on a limited basis and received assurances about the security of our local employees, I hope that we are clear with Turkey that we will not accept anything short 3 of true and timely justice for our detained consulate staff and our citizens behind bars. I also hope that we will not tire in advocating for the basic rights and freedoms of thousands of Turks impacted by these sweeping purges—academics, mayors, legislators, journalists, and human rights defenders among them. Let me conclude by saying that it is in the interest
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Sanctions Stage : عوﺿوﻣﻟا مﺳا Economic Repercussions of Rising
    The Sanctions Stage : ωϭοϭϣϟ΍ϡγ΍ Economic Repercussions of Rising : ωϭοϭϣϟ΍ϥ΍ϭϧϋ Tension between Washington and Ankara 13/08/2018 : έηϧϟ΍ΦϳέΎΗ ΔϣΩϘΗϣϟ΍ΕΎγ΍έΩϟ΍ϭΙΎΣΑϸϟϝΑϘΗγϣϟ΍ίϛέϣ : ΏΗΎϛϟ΍ϡγ΍ : ωϭοϭϣϟ΍ 9/25/2021 4:23:31 AM 1 / 2 Tension between Turkey and the United States has recently soared, as the US imposed sanctions on two Turkish ministers over the detention of the American Pastor Andrew Brunson. These sanctions will dent the confidence in the Turkish economy, at the very least. If the US authorities decide to ramp up sanctions in line with President Donald Trump pledges to do so in case of not releasing Brunson, Turkey may incur more economic losses. Under US threats, Turkey will probably be forced to cave in to US demands, particularly at a time when its economy is experiencing many difficulties, most notably the downward spiral of the lira against hard currencies.Numerous Indicators Tension between Turkey and the US runs high, as evident in several indicators, chiefly the following:1- New sanctions: The US has recently stepped up its pressure on Turkey to release pastor Andrew Brunson. The US administration imposed on August 1, sanctions against Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu after accusing them of playing roles in Brunson¶s arrest.According to several estimates, the US sanctions are expected to extend to other Turkish entities and companies, following president Trump's pledges to tighten the screws on Turkey if the pastor is not released. The US administration has already followed the same approach in February, after Turkey announced its intention to buy S-400, the Russian missile defense system.2- Imprisoning Turkish officials: The case of accusing Turkish bank Halkbank of conspiring in breaching US sanctions on Iran in 2012, was one of the factors for tension between Washington and Ankara.
    [Show full text]
  • Walking the Talk: 2021 Blueprints for a Human Rights-Centered U.S
    Walking the Talk: 2021 Blueprints for a Human Rights-Centered U.S. Foreign Policy October 2020 Acknowledgments Human Rights First is a nonprofit, nonpartisan human rights advocacy and action organization based in Washington D.C., New York, and Los Angeles. © 2020 Human Rights First. All Rights Reserved. Walking the Talk: 2021 Blueprints for a Human Rights-Centered U.S. Foreign Policy was authored by Human Rights First’s staff and consultants. Senior Vice President for Policy Rob Berschinski served as lead author and editor-in-chief, assisted by Tolan Foreign Policy Legal Fellow Reece Pelley and intern Anna Van Niekerk. Contributing authors include: Eleanor Acer Scott Johnston Trevor Sutton Rob Berschinski David Mizner Raha Wala Cole Blum Reece Pelley Benjamin Haas Rita Siemion Significant assistance was provided by: Chris Anders Steven Feldstein Stephen Pomper Abigail Bellows Becky Gendelman Jennifer Quigley Brittany Benowitz Ryan Kaminski Scott Roehm Jim Bernfield Colleen Kelly Hina Shamsi Heather Brandon-Smith Kate Kizer Annie Shiel Christen Broecker Kennji Kizuka Mandy Smithberger Felice Gaer Dan Mahanty Sophia Swanson Bishop Garrison Kate Martin Yasmine Taeb Clark Gascoigne Jenny McAvoy Bailey Ulbricht Liza Goitein Sharon McBride Anna Van Niekerk Shannon Green Ian Moss Human Rights First challenges the United States of America to live up to its ideals. We believe American leadership is essential in the struggle for human dignity and the rule of law, and so we focus our advocacy on the U.S. government and other key actors able to leverage U.S. influence. When the U.S. government falters in its commitment to promote and protect human rights, we step in to demand reform, accountability, and justice.
    [Show full text]
  • Sanctions on Turkey: Reconciling Washington’S Diverging Views by Soner Cagaptay
    MENU Policy Analysis / PolicyWatch 2975 Sanctions on Turkey: Reconciling Washington’s Diverging Views by Soner Cagaptay Jun 1, 2018 Also available in Arabic ABOUT THE AUTHORS Soner Cagaptay Soner Cagaptay is the Beyer Family fellow and director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute. Brief Analysis Despite the deep-seated problems roiling the bilateral relationship, U.S. legislators need to understand the potentially dire geopolitical consequences of putting heavy pressure on a fellow NATO member. n June 4, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will visit Washington to meet with Secretary of State O Mike Pompeo. The trip comes at a critical time for the U.S.-Turkish relationship, with bilateral ties facing their deepest crisis since the Cyprus war of 1974. That conflict ended with a damaging American arms embargo against Ankara—the relationship suffered severely and did not fully normalize for nearly half a decade, setting the precedent for another breakdown if the two countries do not find a way to close their widening gaps on present-day issues. UNBRIDGEABLE DIFFERENCES? C urrently, multiple factors are undermining the bilateral relationship, including: Turkish demands for the extradition of Fethullah Gulen , a U.S.-based cleric whose followers in the Turkish military seem to have played a significant role in the failed 2016 coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The U.S. tactical alliance with the People’s Defense Units (YPG). This Syrian Kurdish group is an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), recognized as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and NATO. But with President Trump determined not to commit further ground troops to Syria, Washington will continue to rely on the YPG to contain the Islamic State.
    [Show full text]
  • Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 115 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
    E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 115 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 164 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2018 No. 165 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Friday, October 5, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. Senate THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2018 The Senate met at 11 a.m. and was to the Senate from the President pro Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an As- called to order by the Honorable DAN tempore (Mr. HATCH). sociate Justice of the Supreme Court of SULLIVAN, a Senator from the State of The senior assistant legislative clerk the United States. Alaska. read the following letter: RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER f U.S. SENATE, The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, PRAYER Washington, DC, October 4, 2018. pore. The majority leader is recog- The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- To the Senate: nized. fered the following prayer: Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, NOMINATION OF BRETT KAVANAUGH Let us pray. of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, the Eternal Spirit, giver of every good appoint the Honorable DAN SULLIVAN, a Sen- Senate is considering the nomination and perfect gift, we magnify Your Holy ator from the State of Alaska, to perform of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve as Name. Your righteousness endures for- the duties of the Chair. RRIN ATCH an Associate Justice on the Supreme ever. O G. H , President pro tempore.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mother Church and Ukraine
    THE ORDER OF SAINT ANDREW THE APOSTLE, ARCHONS OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE IN AMERICA | FALL 2018 THE MOTHER CHURCH AND UKRAINE Metropolitan Emmanuel and the A sign to strengthen bold statement of the Ecumenical a nation’s aspirations Patriarchate during celebrations marking 1,030th anniversary of and religious liberty the baptism of Kyivan Rus FALL 2018 Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate: His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios Geron of America Spiritual Advisor: Rev. Alexander Karloutsos National Commander: Anthony J. Limberakis, MD, Aktouarios National Vice Commander: John Halecky, Jr., Ekdikos Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew meets with the Secretary: President of Turkey Hon. B. Theodore Bozonelis, Ekdikos Treasurer: His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch The President of Turkey showed Peter J. Skeadas, Hieromnimon Bartholomew met with His Excellency particular interest in the issues of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Legal Counselor: the Republic of Turkey, on Wednes- Community. Christopher Stratakis, Esq., Notarios day, April 25, 2018 at the Presidential Accompanying His All-Holiness Palace in Ankara and lasted more were His Eminence Metropolitan El- Historian: than half an hour. pidophoros of Bursa, Archimandrite George E. Demacopoulos, PhD Didaskalos Tou Genous His All-Holiness thanked President Joachim Billis, Chief Secretary of the Erdogan for everything he has done Holy and Sacred Synod, Archon Laki Sergeant-at-Arms: so far to solve the issues of the He- Vingas and Mr. Georgios Papaliaris, Alexander Pritsos, Hieromnimon llenic Community and the Ecumenical Vice-President of the Supporting As- Patriarchate and raised the issues that sociation of Roman Community Insti- Assistant Treasurer: are still pending. tutions.
    [Show full text]
  • The US-Turkey Diplomatic Crisis
    The US-Turkey Diplomatic Crisis by Burak Bekdil BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 938, September 3, 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The present Turkish-American diplomatic crisis is fundamentally different from other such crises in 1964 or 1975. Turkish public sentiment in the 1960s and 1970s was largely pro-American (and anti- Soviet). Today, 79% of Turks have an unfavorable opinion of the US. Also, the earlier Turkish-American crises were largely single-case issues whereas the current one is multi-dimensional – and more difficult to resolve. Officially speaking, Turkey and the US are NATO allies and strategic partners. These days their relationship looks like anything but an alliance or a partnership. This has not happened overnight. In 1964, US President Lyndon Johnson cautioned Turkey against rash military moves it might be planning in Cyprus. The famous “Johnson letter” prompted Turkish PM Ismet Inönü to convene his cabinet in emergency session. That was the first serious crack between America and its southeast European ally, a country that guarded one of the West’s Soviet frontiers. The Johnson letter was also the first incident to spark (largely left-wing) anti-Americanism in Turkey. President Johnson’s warning may have played a role in keeping the Turkish military at its barracks while inter-communal strife on Cyprus worsened in the late 1960s. But in 1974, the Turkish army invaded the northern third of the island in response to a short-lived coup aimed at annexing Cyprus to Greece. In 1975, a Congressional arms embargo on Turkey was instituted – despite objections from the Ford administration – after Ankara refused to relinquish any of the territory it had seized the year before.
    [Show full text]
  • Hearing on “Prisoners of the Purge: the Victims of Turkey's Failing Rule
    UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (U.S. HELSINKI COMMISSION) Hearing on “Prisoners of the Purge: The Victims of Turkey’s Failing Rule of Law” Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Room 124, Dirksen Senate Office Building Opening Statement of Senator Thom Tillis, Hearing Chairman This hearing of the Helsinki Commission will come to order. Good morning and welcome to this Helsinki Commission hearing titled “Prisoners of the Purge: The Victims of Turkey’s Failing Rule of Law.” I am honored to be chairing this hearing on behalf of Chairman Wicker. As of today, an American pastor has spent 404 days in a Turkish jail without trial, without access to the evidence against him, the subject of a vicious smear campaign in the Turkish press, and facing life in prison on fabricated charges of being a terrorist and coup-plotter. Elsewhere in Turkey, a Turkish-American NASA scientist has spent 480 days in prison—much of it in solitary confinement—on terrorism and espionage charges springing from the baseless testimony of a disgruntled relative and a bizarre compilation of circumstantial evidence including a dollar bill seized at his parents’ home. Today also marks 253 days behind bars for a veteran Turkish employee of the U.S. Consulate in Adana who stands accused of terrorism for doing his job as he has for over 30 years, communicating on behalf of the U.S. government with local community contacts. These prisoners—Andrew Brunson, Serkan Golge, and Hamza Ulucay—are the innocent victims of Turkey’s collapsing rule of law. With every passing day, the injustice of these detentions compounds itself.
    [Show full text]
  • ANDREW BRUNSON Our Healthcare Premium Went up 300%
    Election analysis // A Chinese hero // Sutherland Springs NOVEMBER 24, 2018 DANIEL of the YEAR ANDREW BRUNSON Our healthcare premium went up 300%. Someone told us about Medi-Share, and we couldn’t believe it was so affordable! José Fernandez Join a nationwide community of over 400,000 Christians who enjoy huge savings on their healthcare. An authentic, prayerful community Members are saving up to $500 No enrollment period— that is more than healthcare. monthly on healthcare costs you can join any time For more info, call 844-51-BIBLE or visit BiblicalHealthcare.com Medi-Share is not health insurance. CONTENTS | November 24, 2018 • Volume 33 • Number 22 36 17 30 44 48 FEATURES DISPATCHES 5 News Analysis • Human Race 36 ‘A living martyr’ Quotables • Quick Takes DANIEL OF THE YEAR: Held in Turkey on charges of espionage and terrorism, facing a life sentence for doing the CULTURE work of the church, American Pastor Andrew Brunson’s Movies & TV • Books dramatic release was the work of high-powered diplomacy 17 and prevailing prayer Children’s Books • Q&A • Music NOTEBOOK 30 Split verdict 53 Sports • Technology • Politics • Division in Washington will likely multiply investigations and Science Religion legislative gridlock, but critical judicial appointments march on VOICES 44 Evangelist in chains 3 Joel Belz China uses dubious border charges to imprison a popular 14 Janie B. Cheaney Christian leader 28 Mindy Belz 61 Mailbag 48 ‘Everything has changed’ 63 Andrée Seu Peterson Sutherland Springs: A Texas community’s life after death 64 Marvin Olasky ON THE COVER: Andrew Brunson arrives at his home in Izmir, Turkey, on July 25 under terms of house arrest during his trial; photo by Emre Tazegul/AP Give the gift of clarity: wng.org/giftofclarity Notes from the CEO “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof; the world and those who dwell therein.” —PSALM 24:1 It’s beginning to look a lot like … fundraising season.
    [Show full text]
  • September 14, 2018 President Donald Trump the White House
    September 14, 2018 President Donald Trump The White House Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: I write to you on behalf of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to express our concern regarding the upcoming visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the United States later this month and his participation in an investment conference in New York City hosted by a Turkish organization, the Turkey-U.S. Business Council, which is not part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. That President Erdoğan will be on American soil to solicit business investments among American companies is troubling given his personal and public support for the continued, unlawful detainment in Turkey of American Pastor Andrew Brunson. We respectfully urge any U.S. officials and entities participating in the conference to reconsider the merits of conducting business with Turkey under the current conditions. The lack of rule of law and deteriorating human rights in Turkey, as exemplified by the case of American Pastor Andrew Brunson, is a serious cause for concern and not conducive to a positive business climate at this time. USCIRF has been a leading voice advocating for Pastor Brunson’s release. In October 2017, two USCIRF Commissioners were Pastor Brunson’s first visitors in Kırıklar Prison outside of family, legal counsel, and U.S. Embassy officials. Our vice chair, Kristina Arriaga, advocates for Pastor Brunson as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project. Although Pastor Brunson was moved to house arrest on July 25, 2018 due to health concerns, a move that USCIRF welcomed, we remain concerned for Pastor Brunson’s safety and security, and similarly for his family.
    [Show full text]
  • Senate Section
    E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 116 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 165 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019 No. 181 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was crease of 4,000 from the previous year. at George Mason University’s Antonin called to order by the President pro However, the number of children wait- Scalia Law School. tempore (Mr. GRASSLEY). ing for adoption also increased. That Even the American Bar Association’s f number rose to 125,000. Unfortunately, Standing Committee on the Federal teenagers, sibling groups, and those Judiciary, which has lately—lately PRAYER with medical challenges often wait made headlines for treating President The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- much longer to be adopted. Every child Trump’s nominees in a less-than-even- fered the following prayer: deserves a safe, permanent, loving handed way, has rated this nominee Let us pray. home, so I want to commend all those ‘‘well-qualified.’’ Eternal God, hear us when we cry to who have chosen to adopt children in Obviously, a majority of our col- You. You have been our help in ages foster care. leagues on the Judiciary Committee past and our hope for the years to If you wonder where I get the opinion concurred, and now the entire Senate come. that it is unfortunate that people want will have the opportunity to confirm You don’t keep a record of our trans- a permanent, safe, and loving home, all yet another outstanding jurist to the gressions but shower us daily with you have to do is listen to the kids in Federal bench.
    [Show full text]
  • Turkey: Background and U.S
    Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations Updated August 31, 2018 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R41368 Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations Summary Turkey, a NATO ally since 1952, significantly affects a number of key U.S. national security issues in the Middle East and Europe. U.S.-Turkey relations have worsened throughout this decade over several matters, including Syria’s civil war, Turkey-Israel tensions, Turkey-Russia cooperation, and various Turkish domestic developments. The United States and NATO have military personnel and key equipment deployed to various sites in Turkey, including at Incirlik air base in the southern part of the country. Bilateral ties have reached historic lows in the summer of 2018. The major flashpoint has been a Turkish criminal case against American pastor Andrew Brunson. U.S. sanctions on Turkey related to the Brunson case and responses by Turkey and international markets appear to have seriously aggravated an already precipitous drop in the value of Turkey’s currency. Amid this backdrop, Congress has actively engaged on several issues involving Turkey, including the following: Turkey’s possible S-400 air defense system acquisition from Russia. Turkey’s efforts to acquire U.S.-origin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft and its companies’ role in the international F-35 consortium’s supply chain. Complex U.S.-Turkey interactions in Syria involving several state and non- state actors, including Russia and Iran. Over strong Turkish objections, the United States continues to partner with Syrian Kurds linked with Kurdish militants in Turkey, and Turkey’s military has occupied large portions of northern Syria to minimize Kurdish control and leverage.
    [Show full text]
  • Erdogan's Hostage Diplomacy Western Nationals in Turkish Prisons
    Erdogan’s Hostage Diplomacy Western Nationals in Turkish Prisons Aykan Erdemir & Eric Edelman June 2018 FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES FOUNDATION Erdogan’s Hostage Diplomacy Western Nationals in Turkish Prisons Aykan Erdemir Eric Edelman June 2018 FDD PRESS A division of the FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES Washington, DC Erdogan’s Hostage Diplomacy: Western Nationals in Turkish Prisons Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................................6 AMERICAN PRISONERS IN TURKEY..........................................................................................................7 EU NATIONALS IN TURKISH PRISONS OR UNABLE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY .......................13 HOSTAGE DIPLOMACY ..................................................................................................................................18 AMERICA AND EUROPE RESPOND TO HOSTAGE DIPLOMACY .....................................................21 The U.S. Response ..........................................................................................................................................21 The German Response ....................................................................................................................................24 The Greek Response ........................................................................................................................................25 A TRANSATLANTIC STRATEGY TO DEFEAT
    [Show full text]