Turkish soldiers abroad ordered to spy on dismissed colleagues

A written instruction from the Turkish General Staff asks Turkey’s military officers deployed abroad to spy on their former colleagues who were dismissed as part of a post-coup crackdown, according to German media.

The request, dated June 9, 2017, addresses all Turkish military attachments and embassies abroad as well as Turkish contingents at NATO bases and other military units stationed in the US, Germany and other European countries.

The order asks officials to report on what occupation ex-military officials pursue, whether they have applied for asylum, where they live, whether they are in touch with media and foreign governments.

German media said the request has reached to several hundred, on-duty Turkish officials abroad.

More than 130,000 people including police and military officials, teachers, bureaucrats, academics, judges and many others from different fields have lost their jobs as a result of Turkish government’s post-coup purge of state institutions.

A recent report by Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) underlined that Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has stepped up spying activities against Turkish dissidents in the recent period.

Dozens of Turkish expats in Europe including imams working at Turkey-sponsored mosques face investigations over espionage charges against Kurdish people and the Gülen movement.

Turkish government accuses the movement of masterminding the July 15, 2016 coup attempt while the latter denies involvement. Meanwhile, the government has also stepped up pressure against Kurdish minority in Turkey (turkeypurge.com) July 6, 2017

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