Turkish diplomats spying on Erdogan’s opponents in other countries

Hossam al-Haddad

A document leaked from the Turkish Foreign Ministry has revealed that Turkish diplomats had spied on opponents of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Mozambique, a flagrant violation of diplomatic norms.

The Turkish ambassador in the African state had sent a note to the ministry in Ankara in which he included information acquired illegally by embassy staff about the critics of the Turkish president, according to the document.

Most of the critics of Erdogan in Mozambique were members of Hizmet, the movement of Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen.

The movement has criticized Erdogan’s government several times in the past on rampant corruption and mismanagement. It also faults the Turkish president in supporting Jihadist movements in other countries.

The document which dates back to September 16, 2016, contains the names of 32 Erdogan opponents as well as an international school known to be one of the best in Mozambique.

The Turkish embassy in the African state shared the names of these opposition figures with the aim of enticing the Foreign Ministry to reject the renewal of their passports.

The failure of these opposition figures in renewing their passports can serve Erdogan’s interests. It will limit their freedom of movement, especially in countries where they feel safe. The same thing also opens the door for the repatriation of these Turkish opposition figures.

The Turkish constitution gives the authorities the right to limit the freedom of movement of individuals with the aim of giving law-enforcement agencies to prevent them from committing crimes.

Nevertheless, the constitution does not give the authorities the right to prevent Turkish citizens from leaving their country in the lack of a court ruling.