Just under a decade ago, the Turkish government demanded Belgium, France, and Italy arrest several dozen Kurdish civil society activists on accusations that they were members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. The Europeans complied, taking over 40 Kurds into custody. At the time, Turkish officials celebrated. “We are very pleased because Belgium fulfilled its responsibility,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu remarked, adding that the raids were “a clear message to those who provide resources to acts of terror.”
In hindsight, the Turkish government’s celebration was premature and its victory Pyrrhic. In Turkey, the government strictly controls the courts; judicial independence is more theoretical than real. This is especially the case under Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s regime, in which both defense attorneys and judges understand they can face charges and prison terms if they provide rigorous defenses or uphold protections. Put another way, in Turkey, guilt is contagious for anyone who runs afoul of Erdogan, his son, or his son-in-law.
