In latest tape, Erdogan calls judiciary
Leaked tapes suggest Recep Tayyip Erdogan interfered directly in the judiciary to curb press freedom.
Almost every evening since Dec. 17, Turks have been listening to audio recordings leaked on YouTube, starring Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as they are gripped by awe, horror and shock as if watching a thriller series.
This aspect of the war between the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Gulen community has left us in shame over the state the country has plunged into.
One evening we listen to Erdogan instructing his son, Bilal, to remove huge stashes of cash from family homes. Another evening, we hear him working behind the scene to cancel a defense tender awarded to Koc, the business empire that drew his ire during the Gezi revolt for sheltering protesters in its hotel — that is, we hear the prime minister committing the crime of tenderrigging.
In several consecutive leaks — now widely called the “Hello, Fatih!” series — the prime minister phones a top media executive by the name of Fatih, telling him to censor a broadcast, black out the local election campaign of a leading candidate and fire a talk-show host. Yet another recording reveals he is unhappy with the $10 million amount that a businessman wants to send him through his son, Bilal.
