 officials, which has been criticized for insufficient security measures.){kind=link}
The images, initially uploaded after the 97th anniversary celebrations of MİT, were later removed.
During the event attended by Erdoğan photographs were taken inside the venue. They were subsequently posted online on his official X account. Among the attendees were believed to be high-ranking MİT officials, whose faces were visible in the photos. Shortly afterward, they were edited out of the posts.
Justice Minister Tunç’s handle also shared a similar post, featuring photos where MİT members could be clearly identified. Critics pointed to the legal consequences of such actions for ordinary citizens since disclosing the identity of MİT personnel carries a heavy prison sentence, ranging from two to eight years, according to Article 27 of the MİT law.
The gravity of such an offense is underscored by the past arrest of journalists Barış Terkoğlu and Hülya Kılınç. They were detained and later sentenced for reporting on the funeral of a MİT member who died in Libya, a case similarly linked to revealing the identity of intelligence personnel.
Terkoğlu, who was imprisoned for three months due to his coverage of the MİT case, expressed outrage over the incident on social media. He highlighted the double standards in the enforcement of the law, pointing out that while journalists were prosecuted for less severe disclosures, the current situation seemed to be overlooked.
Terkoğlu’s criticism underscores a broader concern about the selective application of laws in Turkey, particularly when it involves state officials.
Under Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, MİT became increasingly operational in government black ops abroad as Ankara became more belligerent and active in conflicts in the region, supporting proxies.
MİT also became a tool for Erdoğan’s abduction of his critics who lived abroad, according to a report by the Orion Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, which identifies Turkey as a significant actor in transnational repression, as both a perpetrator and a destination.
Turkey is noted in the report for abducting more than 40 individuals since a coup attempt in 2016, often targeting members of Gülen movement, a faith-based group outlawed by Ankara, as well as Kurdish and leftist activists.
The report highlights Turkey’s extensive spying activities, particularly in Germany, involving surveillance requests and a smartphone app for its diaspora to report individuals.