Turkish Tweets: Leading Journalist Arrested For Tweet On Erdogan Corruption Scandal

582574_215472875248080_1866740398_n220px-Recep_Tayyip_ErdoganSedef Kabas, a leading Turkish journalist, has been arrested in another example of the rollback on civil liberties under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. As part of his attack on secularism and his introduction of Islamic laws into Turkey’s government, Erdogan has been cracking down critics and journalists over the outcry of the international community. In the case of Kabas, a single tweet on Twitter was enough. The journalist had just sent her five-year-old to school when police came knocking to ask if she authored a tweet about how the government quashed a corruption investigation into his family and close associates of Erdogan. Erdogan previously promised to “eradicate” Twitter in Turkey and he appears to be now doing it one journalist and poster at a time.


The scandal involves Erdogan’s family, four ministers from his ruling Justice and Development Party as well as close associates and businessmen. There are even incriminating phone call recordings where Erdogan appears to instruct his son to hide tens of millions of dollars. Erdogan insists that the recordings were edited.

The government has not tried to maintain a pretense of legality. The original prosecutor for the case was replaced with Salihoğlu as the new chief prosecutor for Istanbul. He then dropped the case 10 months later for lack of evidence. Then the Erdogan government pushed through a controversial vote in the Turkish parliament blocking the four now-former ministers from facing charges.

The tweet by Kabas criticized the termination of the corruption investigation and added “Do not forget the name of the chief-prosecutor who cancelled the investigation, Hadi Salihoglu.” She admitted to being the author and was told that the police would conduct a full search of her home. They were particularly interested in communication devices that would show her associates and messages. They confiscated Kabas’ laptop and cell phone and even her son’s tablet. She was then carted off for interrogation.

Now it is Kabas who faces up to five years in prison and prosecutors say that they will be adding a further indictment, which carries a sentence of five years and four months, for showing “resistance” to the police when they searched her home in December.

It is a good thing that Erdogan has announced that Turkey has the highest level of press freedom in the world.

Source: Fox News

51 thoughts on “Turkish Tweets: Leading Journalist Arrested For Tweet On Erdogan Corruption Scandal”

  1. SolarTology should not be confused with Scientology. Here is an explanation of Scientology:

    Gnosticism
    Scientology, as told by Scientologists, means “knowing how to know”. (More correctly, it means “the study of knowing”, but Hubbard never felt a need for pedantic accuracy.) Thus, Scientology is a gnostic [gnosis: to know] system in every sense of the word[Stromsholm, 1995]. Through training and auditing, the Scientologist is unburdened of his Reactive Mind, and attains the Godlike state of Clear and Operating Thetan, and has the power to transform matter, energy, space, and time. Attainment of Godhood through special revelation is a hallmark of Gnostic belief systems[Davies]

    1. And that is what pisses me off about it. You got your freaking John Revolting staring holes through people and swiveling his fat hips thinking he is moving mind over matter still and the same thing with Tom Cruise trying to control those young wives of his. Then you got that reeeeallly creeepy Charlie Manson telling everyone he is a thetan and passing out sugar cubes laced with LSD to his “Family” telling them that they should listen to his nammmmmee Charles Willl is Man’s Son lol LMAO He had the Star Witness LInda Kasabian convinced he was Jesus Christ.

      And then you have the Gnostics who really suck imo they are so confused and a major heresy – The inferior God created by Sophia’s desire, also referred to as the Demiurge, is the Creator God of the Old Testament. Due to his inferiority, he is not seen as good but rather an evil, angry, violent God. It is the fault of this God that the world is in the mess that it is, and due to the fact that he created it, the world is evil. The higher transcendent God is not a creator of the material world, and instead is a nurturer of the spiritual. The only hope for humankind, while locked in this evil shell of a body is to spiritually transcend this world and deny the body.

  2. SolarTology is a new religious order out in California. They believe that God is moving the Earth closer to the sun in order to warm us up and do away with the need for gas, coal and oil for heating in winter. SolarTologists will often float their theories and religion on websites but refuse to go on radio or television. Wally from Leave It To Beaver is a SolarTologist and so is Warren Buffet’s son, Willie. If you Google the word you will get a giggle. How Turkey comes in is a bit odd. Erdogan is a closet SolarTologist and is trying to get Imams to come on board. Erdogan is of a belief that if Islam embraces SolarTology then all of the fraction between Islam and other religions will go away. There are certain Twits in Turkey who will Tweet about this topic on the government website. The Oracle who first revealed the SolarTology thesis is from the Turks and the Caicos. They call their religious dogma a Thesis. They want to be seen as scientific and not religious– but they preach.

  3. Happy/

    You’re a theist and you claim to not believe in any belief system with “a million holes in it.” You are the funny one. The rest of those guys and gals are scientists. You’re a zealot.

    1. Mespo

      I think you are the Zealot.

      noun
      noun: zealot; plural noun: zealots

      a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals.
      synonyms: fanatic, enthusiast, extremist, radical, young Turk, diehard, true believer, activist, militant; More

      You see, you don’t have to be a religious to be a Zealot. And, you know, you don’t really know me – you just think you do. I try lots of systems.

      I know you have a magic cube for your name 727272 up there. I have studied so many things it would make your head spin. I feel that the holes I was speaking of in that theory were implicit. It is politically funded. There is no true science going on. There is an Agenda.

      If you truly think I have a Political Agenda and I am Funded outside of this Blog I am flattered. But nothing could be further from the truth. I do have a ministry though. But I am not going to pound on you the way you do on me. I understand how you feel and I know you think I am a fool and a nutcase. That’s cool. But I think down deep you know from reading between the lines here it just ain’t so.

  4. David:

    You have all the keen understanding of the climate change phenomena as say your average third-grader: “See, it’s cold outside, so the Earth can’t be subject to climate change.” Absolutely brilliant analysis there, Sherlock.

    1. Government Data Show U.S. in Decade-Long Cooling

      http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2014/06/25/government-data-show-u-s-in-decade-long-cooling/

      “… The United States has cooled by approximately 0.4 degrees Celsius, which is more than half of the claimed global warming of the twentieth century.”
      =============

      Global Temperature Update: Still no global warming for 17 years 9 months – Since Sept. 1996

      The 213 months without global warming represent more than half the 425-month satellite data record since January 1979. No one now in high school has lived through global warming.

      http://www.climatedepot.com/2014/06/04/global-temperature-update-still-no-global-warming-for-17-years-9-months-since-sept-1996/

  5. Happy:

    Lest a lunkhead or two around here might actually believe your inanity, here’s the word from Skeptical Science:

    “That humans are causing global warming is the position of the Academies of Science from 80 countries plus many scientific organizations that study climate science. More specifically, around 95% of active climate researchers actively publishing climate papers endorse the consensus position.”

    But who are they compared to some ex-gear heads at NASA whose expertise seems on most anything but climatology?

  6. You mistook what I said there, Hapo. I never said the Stork Theory wasn’t well-subscribed. I merely said the adherents belonged in the looney bin like your signatories here. You really want to get into a battle of signatories over the fact of man-made climate change? You don’t have enough time to read the list.

    1. Mespo727272

      I am not impressed. kaaayyyy. You can’t possibly believe that I would sit in a classroom anywhere and listen to something that obviously has a million holes in it. If the Ocean has not gone up but one degree Fahrenheit in 135 years your theory does not hold water. Pun very intended. Like I said earlier, we need to clean up the plastic and oil. It is wrecking our environment. These things are patently obvious. In 1970 Chemically speaking our Chemistry group already knew that the Ozone layer was gonna go down to 16 inches and now look at it. Almost new again here and China has the problem now and getting ready to take it to Africa.

      Are you willing to start walking everywhere and riding your bike and things of that nature? Only wear cotton and hemp and use a thread and needle? I didn’t think so.

      We are making autos that burn less fuel and have batteries in them now. We are working on it. You know that. When I say we I am not referring to a political party but the United States.

      Anything to be discovered is already here and just waiting for an intuitive and receptive mind to figure it out and these ridiculous descriptions of Northeasters in the guise of Climate Change are just not going to cut it. They are funny actually.

  7. Happy:

    “Man Made Climate Change is still open for debate.”

    *****************

    It’s debated by those who subscribe to the Stork Theory of human birth. You’re A riot! Ask those folks out West who NASA says will be looking forward to centuries of drought caused by human caused climate change. They can form a really big debate team.

    1. mespo727272

      March 28, 2012

      The Honorable Charles Bolden, Jr.
      NASA Administrator
      NASA Headquarters
      Washington, D.C. 20546-0001

      Dear Charlie,

      We, the undersigned, respectfully request that NASA and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) refrain from including unproven remarks in public releases and websites. We believe the claims by NASA and GISS, that man-made carbon dioxide is having a catastrophic impact on global climate change are not substantiated, especially when considering thousands of years of empirical data. With hundreds of well-known climate scientists and tens of thousands of other scientists publicly declaring their disbelief in the catastrophic forecasts, coming particularly from the GISS leadership, it is clear that the science is NOT settled.

      The unbridled advocacy of CO2 being the major cause of climate change is unbecoming of NASA’s history of making an objective assessment of all available scientific data prior to making decisions or public statements.

      As former NASA employees, we feel that NASA’s advocacy of an extreme position, prior to a thorough study of the possible overwhelming impact of natural climate drivers is inappropriate. We request that NASA refrain from including unproven and unsupported remarks in its future releases and websites on this subject. At risk is damage to the exemplary reputation of NASA, NASA’s current or former scientists and employees, and even the reputation of science itself.

      For additional information regarding the science behind our concern, we recommend that you contact Harrison Schmitt or Walter Cunningham, or others they can recommend to you.

      Thank you for considering this request.

      Sincerely,

      (Attached signatures)

      CC: Mr. John Grunsfeld, Associate Administrator for Science

      CC: Ass Mr. Chris Scolese, Director, Goddard Space Flight Center

      Ref: Letter to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, dated 3-26-12, regarding a request for NASA to refrain from making unsubstantiated claims that human produced CO2 is having a catastrophic impact on climate change.

      /s/ Jack Barneburg, Jack – JSC, Space Shuttle Structures, Engineering Directorate, 34 years

      /s/ Larry Bell – JSC, Mgr. Crew Systems Div., Engineering Directorate, 32 years

      /s/ Dr. Donald Bogard – JSC, Principal Investigator, Science Directorate, 41 years

      /s/ Jerry C. Bostick – JSC, Principal Investigator, Science Directorate, 23 years

      /s/ Dr. Phillip K. Chapman – JSC, Scientist – astronaut, 5 years

      /s/ Michael F. Collins, JSC, Chief, Flight Design and Dynamics Division, MOD, 41 years

      /s/ Dr. Kenneth Cox – JSC, Chief Flight Dynamics Div., Engr. Directorate, 40 years

      /s/ Walter Cunningham – JSC, Astronaut, Apollo 7, 8 years

      /s/ Dr. Donald M. Curry – JSC, Mgr. Shuttle Leading Edge, Thermal Protection Sys., Engr. Dir., 44 years

      /s/ Leroy Day – Hdq. Deputy Director, Space Shuttle Program, 19 years

      /s/ Dr. Henry P. Decell, Jr. – JSC, Chief, Theory & Analysis Office, 5 years

      /s/Charles F. Deiterich – JSC, Mgr., Flight Operations Integration, MOD, 30 years

      /s/ Dr. Harold Doiron – JSC, Chairman, Shuttle Pogo Prevention Panel, 16 years

      /s/ Charles Duke – JSC, Astronaut, Apollo 16, 10 years

      /s/ Anita Gale

      /s/ Grace Germany – JSC, Program Analyst, 35 years

      /s/ Ed Gibson – JSC, Astronaut Skylab 4, 14 years

      /s/ Richard Gordon – JSC, Astronaut, Gemini Xi, Apollo 12, 9 years

      /s/ Gerald C. Griffin – JSC, Apollo Flight Director, and Director of Johnson Space Center, 22 years

      /s/ Thomas M. Grubbs – JSC, Chief, Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Branch, 31 years

      /s/ Thomas J. Harmon

      /s/ David W. Heath – JSC, Reentry Specialist, MOD, 30 years

      /s/ Miguel A. Hernandez, Jr. – JSC, Flight crew training and operations, 3 years

      /s/ James R. Roundtree – JSC Branch Chief, 26 years

      /s/ Enoch Jones – JSC, Mgr. SE&I, Shuttle Program Office, 26 years

      /s/ Dr. Joseph Kerwin – JSC, Astronaut, Skylab 2, Director of Space and Life Sciences, 22 years

      /s/ Jack Knight – JSC, Chief, Advanced Operations and Development Division, MOD, 40 years

      /s/ Dr. Christopher C. Kraft – JSC, Apollo Flight Director and Director of Johnson Space Center, 24 years

      /s/ Paul C. Kramer – JSC, Ass.t for Planning Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Div., Egr. Dir., 34 years

      /s/ Alex (Skip) Larsen

      /s/ Dr. Lubert Leger – JSC, Ass’t. Chief Materials Division, Engr. Directorate, 30 years

      /s/ Dr. Humbolt C. Mandell – JSC, Mgr. Shuttle Program Control and Advance Programs, 40 years

      /s/ Donald K. McCutchen – JSC, Project Engineer – Space Shuttle and ISS Program Offices, 33 years

      /s/ Thomas L. (Tom) Moser – Hdq. Dep. Assoc. Admin. & Director, Space Station Program, 28 years

      /s/ Dr. George Mueller – Hdq., Assoc. Adm., Office of Space Flight, 6 years

      /s/ Tom Ohesorge

      /s/ James Peacock – JSC, Apollo and Shuttle Program Office, 21 years

      /s/ Richard McFarland – JSC, Mgr. Motion Simulators, 28 years

      /s/ Joseph E. Rogers – JSC, Chief, Structures and Dynamics Branch, Engr. Directorate,40 years

      /s/ Bernard J. Rosenbaum – JSC, Chief Engineer, Propulsion and Power Division, Engr. Dir., 48 years

      /s/ Dr. Harrison (Jack) Schmitt – JSC, Astronaut Apollo 17, 10 years

      /s/ Gerard C. Shows – JSC, Asst. Manager, Quality Assurance, 30 years

      /s/ Kenneth Suit – JSC, Ass’t Mgr., Systems Integration, Space Shuttle, 37 years

      /s/ Robert F. Thompson – JSC, Program Manager, Space Shuttle, 44 years/s/ Frank Van Renesselaer – Hdq., Mgr. Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters, 15 years

      /s/ Dr. James Visentine – JSC Materials Branch, Engineering Directorate, 30 years

      /s/ Manfred (Dutch) von Ehrenfried – JSC, Flight Controller; Mercury, Gemini & Apollo, MOD, 10 years

      /s/ George Weisskopf – JSC, Avionics Systems Division, Engineering Dir., 40 years

      /s/ Al Worden – JSC, Astronaut, Apollo 15, 9 years

      /s/ Thomas (Tom) Wysmuller – JSC, Meteorologist, 5 years

      Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-scientists-dispute-climate-change-2012-4#ixzz3S3xhsAO8

  8. Some more ignorance, “Man made climate change is not real”. About as silly a thing to say as “the earth is flat”, or that an island could tip over if we moved too many troops there.

    1. Really, Inga? You are going to go there when record cold temperatures are being set all over the Northeast for the last few days? Apparently, falsified data doesn’t mean anything to you.

      1. davidm2575

        Washington Post said ““Sea surface temperatures off the coast of New England right now are at record levels, 11.5C (21F) warmer than normal in some locations,” says Penn State climate researcher Michael Mann. “There is [a] direct relationship between the surface warmth of the ocean and the amount of moisture in the air. What that means is that this storm will be feeding off these very warm seas, producing very large amounts of snow as spiraling winds of the storm squeeze that moisture out of the air, cool, it, and deposit it as snow inland.””

        Do you think the snow will cool off the water?

        Because this “Science” is really reaching. There are warm years and cold years and there has only been 1 degee difference in the last 100 years is what they are failing to say here
        https://www2.ucar.edu/climate/faq/how-much-has-global-temperature-risen-last-100-years
        http://www.livescience.com/19414-oceans-warming-135-years.html

        One says 1.53 and one says 1.1 degree.

        1. happypappies – Michael Mann cannot get his own computer models to work, I would not go to him to predict the weather.

          1. Murder and Malware. lol He would have written The Hollow Earth if it had not already been written

  9. View….and the earth is also flat, as I watched a man walk toward the horizon he disappeared. I presume he fell off the edge 🙂

    1. Aridog – I have to agree with your logic. It is clear that people who live on the East and West Coasts are over the edge. 😉

    2. Aridog

      Van Halen Song Lyrics

      You know
      I’ve been to the edge
      And then I stood and looked down
      You know I lost a lot of friends there, baby
      I’ve got no time to mess around

  10. HappyPappies … we aren’t pushing for ground involvement in Syria because there are still some sane folks in the Pentagon, who know we no longer have the forces capability to succeed in such an endeavor. I want ISIL smashed, too, but unless we stop RIF’s of the fighting part of our forces, we’re hog tied so to speak. And our enemies know it. We’ve got the cart before the horse now. Any form of the Rumsfeld strategy is a non-starter from day one…you can throw small units in to a breech, and cost more of their lives than necessary, but never dominate the battle space. The enemy knows this strategy means we’ll either leave precipitously or hole up in enclaves…so they just out wait us when necessary. Chief Red Cloud of the Sioux, in concert with the Cheyenne, figured it out when he defeated the US Army on the Bozeman trail, which they effectively forced closure of, and burned the enclaves thereon to the ground. I guess we ‘re still learning.

    1. Man Made Climate Change is still open for debate. It is very obvious that we are polluting the earth and the atmosphere was for a while thinned of ozone but I believe that at least was turned around. The West is no longer Manufacturing like it once was and Alternative energy is being looked into as I write this, I realize that Oil is still used a great deal for plastics and pleather and clothing as well as fuel and heat. The great changes the earth went through in the 4 billion years it has been around I am sure have been greater than the sum we have put it through. That is not to say it is not nasty, but the West is turning it around and it is absurd to imply that the world will end in 50 years if things don’t change. The planet has enormous capability of renewal as shown by the renewal of the Ozone Layer.

      Aridog

      Thank you for your concise reply. I keep being told that but it irritates the hell out of me 😉

  11. I agree with Aridog above. Some of the comments on here have been informative. I have over time let Turkey slide. I ignore all or most of their sins and deficiencies. They should be out of NATO and perhaps we should dissolve NATO if we have such allies. NATO was to oppose the Soviet Union. We now need to fear the Russians but be really direct against the Islamic ickDayheads. Consult your Pig Latin and pardon my speech. Or bark.

  12. Paul C. Schulte said

    Why are we picking on Turkey? We have so many things in the US to worry about and discuss.

    I am sort of in your camp on this. We won’t and can’t change Turkey. They are an unreliable ally unless they are themselves attacked. Only then would they wave the NATO flag and holler for help. They never assist the Kurds, whether in their best interests or not. In every instance where we’ve stepped in for the past dozen years or so has turned into mess. At this point I think I might have supported Syria’s Assad just to help crush the terrorists and ISIL. Good grief, let’s not try to force Turkey in to anything…it would only create a worse circumstance.

    That said, the topic is moot….we no longer have the forces to do much of anything sustainable.

Comments are closed.