Turkey hits back at US over torture report
While Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu expressed his hope that the United States “will not repeat such inhuman treatment,” Turkey's alleged cooperation with the CIA over rendition of Islamic terror suspects is conveniently overlooked.
Always disgruntled over the US State Department’s annual country report on human rights, which highlights allegations of torture and maltreatment by the Turkish police against terror suspects, the US Senate’s report on CIA tortures appears to have given Ankara a rare opportunity to hit back at Washington.
Turkey is the only NATO ally that has come out to officially condemn the United States, albeit in diplomatic terms, and to call for American officials who authorized the use of torture against Muslim suspects to be brought to justice. Ankara also says it is investigating whether Turkish citizens were detained and unlawfully tortured by the CIA.
Revelations about the CIA’s “enhanced interrogation techniques” have also elicited skepticism about Washington’s honesty, resulting in harsh condemnation of the United States from pro-government and Islamist columnists in Turkey.
Meanwhile, anti-government papers are highlighting that supporters of the government are conveniently avoiding any mention of allegations that Turkey also facilitated the CIA’s prisoner transport flights, or rendition, of suspected Muslim terrorists.
