As we move toward a republic of fear...

Looking at least at results of operations carried out by the organization we might figure out their tactical and strategic purposes. But let’s state here that we face an advanced political intelligence. By the way, we understand that the organization’s command of technology is magnificent and that they especially possess the technology enabling them to record conversations in a room remotely or closely. Once recorded, tapes are usually sent to select Internet sites. The purpose for posting these conversations via these sites is to reach the press and public.

Each recording formats perceptions

Targets chosen by this organization, if we leave aside exceptions like the former president of the Board of Higher Education, or YÖK, and some prosecutors, are mostly retired generals, active duty officers or their relatives.

The latest targets who were recorded include former Chief of General Staff Gen. İsmail Hakkı Karaday and Mukaddes Eruygur, wife of former Gendarmerie commander Gen. Şener Eruygur.

What’s interesting is that each recording revealed to the public paves the way for formatting perceptions of a very important current event that occupies the Turkish public at that moment. For example, the speech by Eruygur’s wife all of a sudden puts the court under the spotlight while in the process of settling the objection to the discharge of retired Gen. Hurşit Tolon.

Or it is announced to the public via Gen. Karadayı’s speech that Murat Karayalçın, who is nominated as CHP’s candidate as Mayor of the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, is member of the consultation group called "Encümen-i Daniş" where retired diplomats and military personnel meet. This way an image of Karayalçın is created in which a connection to the military exists; harm wants to be done to the CHP’s candidate election campaign. Karayalçın is targeted but it hasn’t been witnessed up to date that the organization has revealed any person in connection with the AKP. As you see, the guys are very pickyÉ
The organization has a solid archive

Even more interesting is that in the progress of a current event all of a sudden a tape appears. This actually shows that the organization has a solid archive and can present a respective tape corresponding to needs at the very moment.

Of course while doing so it passes the following message to the public: "We can present tapes relating to you in an instant." This way they ensure that fear is slowly spread among many layers of society. You won’t encounter these recordings in any investigation pertaining to any case.

Based on this we conclude that these recordings are obtained in an illegal way. But if these are obtained as a result of a monitoring activity and with the permission of a judge then the leaking of these recordings is still a crime. Put in a nutshell, no matter from which angle you look at it, a crime is committed before the law.

The government’s ignorance is a serious case
What’s serious about it is that if this were to happen in the United States or any other country of the EU it would attract great reaction but the Turkish press has started to get used to this method and publishes these illegally obtained recordings in their headlines.

What’s even more serious is that the administration is watching with ignorance. The silence of the Ministry of Justice and Minister for Internal Affairs has reached a very strange dimension.

However, we are experiencing a situation similar to a situation to be seen in "Republics of Fear." A suppression method is exercised that is not even seen in African countries or Middle Eastern autocratic regimes.

Turkey, under the administration of the AKP, is little-by-little transforming into a "Republic of Fear."



Sedat Ergin is editor-in-chief of Milliyet in which this piece appeared on Feb. 14, Sat. It was translated into English by the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review's staff