Turkish-American group slams US Senate letter on Turkey

The US-based Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) said Thursday it is “appalled” by a letter by 50 US senators that characterizes the Turkish government as "authoritarian administration and violators of Human Rights."

"Turkey's government was determined by a free and fair election by all citizens regardless of their background," senior names of the committee said in a statement. "The Turkish people made it clear that no one can temper with their future when they took to streets and resisted a coup attempt on July 15th, 2016. The Turkish people made it clear to the world that they value their democracy above all else, and will protect it at any cost."

The statement came two days after half of the US Senate has signed a letter urging President Joe Biden to push Turkey on its human rights record.

The letter, which was written by Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Marco Rubio, falsely alleges that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "has taken the country down an increasingly authoritarian path" and "marginalized domestic opposition" as well as "silenced or co-opted critical media outlets.

Turkey has long exercised free and fair elections observed and praised by the UN and other international watchdogs. In 2019 local elections, several major Turkish cities including Istanbul, Izmir and capital Ankara were won by the candidates of the main opposition party, another proof that a group of US senators have a biased agenda to slander Turkish democracy.

Myriads of media outlets and journalists in Turkey, including the marginal ones that openly support terror group PKK, freely criticize the policies of Erdogan administration at a time when US social media platforms ban accounts of conservative groups and individuals. Ironically, the controversial practice of these platforms is supported by the American mainstream media and journalists.

The TASC urged the senators to "reassess their position and call out those who wish to destroy the democratic institutions upholding Turkey's Government," referring to perpetrators of a 2016 defeated coup attempt, Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen.

The defeated coup in Turkey left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured in less than 12 hours.

"Gulen and his apprentice [NBA player] Enes Kanter are the forces behind the July 15th Failed Coup," the committee said. "We ask that the US Senate respect the legacy of dozens of Turkish citizens who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend the legitimate democratically elected government of Turkey, and to reject all anti-Democratic entities that wish to suppress the will of the Turkish people."

Kanter, who finances the Gulen cult, wrote a letter in 2016 following the coup. "May my father, mother and all pedigree die for your [Fetullah Gulen] cause," he wrote and signed, Enes (Kanter) Gulen.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

Turkish officials have for years been pushing for the US to extradite Gulen from his residence in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania. Despite sharing details on his file and evidence that the coup attempt was organized on Gulen's orders, Ankara's efforts at extradition fell short during the Donald Trump's administration.