The Federal Prosecutor's Office of Germany announced on Tuesday that it has initiated investigations into the possibility of Turkish government espionage against its citizens in Germany. According to Reuters, the German Ministry of the Interior also stated that it will not tolerate foreign espionage on its soil. Relations between Germany and Turkey have soured in recent months following the cancellation of speeches by several Turkish government officials in Germany in support of a constitutional referendum. After these speeches were canceled, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused Germany of using Nazi-era tactics. Meanwhile, German media have recently reported that the Turkish government has been spying on Turks suspected of supporting Fethullah Gülen in Germany. The Turkish government has not yet responded to the statements from German prosecutors and the Ministry of the Interior. The Süddeutsche Zeitung and two other media outlets reported that the Turkish intelligence agency, MIT, has compiled a list of over 300 individuals and dozens of institutions and schools suspected of supporting Gülen in Germany. These German media outlets added that the Turkish government presented this list along with documents to the German government. The media cited German officials as saying that some of the photos provided to the German government were taken by hidden cameras. A German official also told Reuters that the documents submitted to the German government indicate that they were obtained through espionage. In this context, Thomas de Maizière, the German Minister of the Interior, stated on Tuesday that he was not surprised by the media reports on this issue. De Maizière emphasized that they have told Turkey several times that such activities are unacceptable. Regardless of what one thinks about Gülen, German law prevails here, and no foreign government has the right to spy on German citizens. Erdoğan's government accuses Gülen, a Turkish cleric residing in the United States, of orchestrating the failed coup attempt on July 15 (July 26 last year). However, the European Union has criticized the post-coup actions in Turkey, stating that Erdoğan's government is using the state of emergency to suppress its opponents and that his accusations against Gülen's supporters lack necessary evidence and documentation.
Germany Begins Investigation into Possible Turkish Espionage
Germany has launched an investigation into potential Turkish espionage against its citizens, following tensions between the two nations over canceled speeches by Turkish officials. Turkish President Erdoğan has accused Germany of employing Nazi tactics, while Germany asserts that foreign espionage will not be tolerated.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Germany has initiated an investigation into potential Turkish espionage activities targeting Turkish citizens in Germany, amid rising tensions between the two countries. The investigation follows reports that Turkey's intelligence agency compiled a list of individuals suspected of supporting Gülen.
- Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office is investigating Turkish government espionage.
- Turkey's intelligence agency reportedly compiled a list of over 300 individuals in Germany suspected of supporting Gülen.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Turkey has been accused of using espionage to target dissidents abroad, particularly those linked to Gülen, which raises issues of sovereignty and human rights in host countries.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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