CoNaRe refused asylum to a former Turkish secret agent detained in the country | Serkan Kurtulus says his life is in danger if he returns to Turkey



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A former Turkish secret agent arrived in Argentina in December 2019. His name is Serkan kurtulus and maintains that the government of the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, wants his head for having revealed crimes that shake the international geopolitical map. Namely: who saw how the government supports Islamic State terrorist groups (IS) and Al-Qaeda’s successor, Al Nosra; that at the border with Syria there is fake refugee camps where militias are actually trained and treated of these groups; and that the Turkish government ordered to kill opponents and journalists. A life sentence awaits him in Turkey for more than a dozen crimes. He denies having committed these crimes, but admits to having committed others. However, says his life is worth more than his sins for all he has seen. However, a few hours ago, Argentina’s National Commission for Refugees (CoNaRe) denied him the asylum application. His lawyer, Ezequiel Gauto, maintains that his life is in danger. “In Turkey, human rights are violated and Argentina knows it“, says the lawyer.

Like all repentants, Kurtulus asks for protection. He knows that talking and showing off is the only way to tip the scales in his favor. That’s why he exaggerationTurkish Tea began a hunger strike last May in Ezeiza prison, where he is still being held, which he maintains to this day. He also demands that the United Nations intervene in his case. However, it is not easy. According to judicial sources with access to the CoNaRe file, the organization rejected his request precisely for committing human rights violations for the Erdogan government. And isn’t the ex-agent and soldier an angel. Once he managed to escape Turkey, his country’s justice system charged him with homicide, violating the gun law, unlawful association to commit a crime, theft. armed robbery, illegal deprivation of liberty and threats, among others. They also called for his immediate extradition. He was arrested in our country in June 2020 while crossing Puerto Madero.

Kurtulus, 40, defends himself. He says he worked for the government blinded by an ultra-nationalist training he received as a child. There, they taught him to hate Armenians and Kurds, whom he considered guilty of the disintegration of his country. The ex-agent, now repented, was active in parties which made national defense a policy of war. So he reached the local secret service. He was in Syria between 2013 and 2016. He said his task was to report on secret activities of ISIS and terrorist groups. On the Internet you can see photos where he proudly poses with large caliber weapons.

Back in Izmir in 2016, the internal situation of the country became even more turbulent. That year, Erdogan suffered an attempted coup led by one of his former associates, the cleric Fethullah Gülen, who is currently in exile in the United States. Then began a period of persecution and internal repression against opponents, journalists and any demonstration critical of the government. Kurtulus was part of the parapolice network that had developed in his town. He said that along with the local police and secret service, he extorted money from businessmen in exchange for not falsely accusing them of supporting Gulen. Today he says he is sorry for these events. He maintains that he has undergone a head wash and that like him thousands of young people continue in this logic in their country.

The point of no return was when he was asked to kill two personalities on the local scene: the famous American evangelical pastor André Brunson, linked to the coup movement, and the journalist Can Dundar. Kurtulus refused to commit these murders. And that’s how his odyssey began. He first took refuge in Georgia. There he received threats from the Turkish government and criminal proceedings were brought against him. He passed through Macedonia, Colombia, Panama and eventually ended up in Argentina. Despite being in Kurtulus’ sights, Dundar has gone public with his support for the former secret agent. He sees him as a key witness because he can provide valuable evidence to expose the crimes of the Erdogan administration. “Kurtulus has a lot to say and can be an important example for others to start reporting. If he returns to Turkey, it is very possible that they will kill him“He said Page 12, a few months ago, from Germany.

The former agent’s Argentine lawyer was unhappy with the CoNaRe’s decision and said they would appeal as soon as possible. “In Turkey, the conditions for a fair trial are not met“, says the lawyer. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International Yes Human Rights Watch They warn against the persecution of opponents since 2016. Hundreds of Kurdish deputies have been arrested in recent years on charges of terrorism. Kurtulus will have to wait for the result of his appeal, which will fall into the hands of the Ministry of the Interior, in charge of Wado de Pedro. Meanwhile, the ex-agent’s defense advances in an international claim they hope will reach the United Nations.

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