Espionage accusations as pressure tactic on Turkish government critics: the cases behind the concern

Arrest and travel ban

Police took Verdioglu Sik from her Istanbul home for questioning last Wednesday evening. Her lawyer said she was accused of political and military espionage, but transcripts published later showed no questions on that subject.

The interrogation instead focused on the Heinrich Böll Foundation and transfers from the organization to her bank account. Verdioglu Sik, who was born and raised in Germany, has worked for 18 years as its project coordinator, organizing projects on democracy and the rights of women, minorities and LGBTQ+ people. She was released, but learned she was subject to a travel ban.

A case drawing political scrutiny

Verdioglu Sik is married to Ahmet Sik, an investigative journalist and member of parliament for the left-wing Workers' Party of Turkey, or TIP. He is a prominent critic of the government and has recently investigated a stock market scandal allegedly benefiting members of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, and their associates.

Opposition critics argued that because Ahmet Sik has parliamentary immunity, proceedings against his wife could put pressure on him. He wrote in response: “If you take away a state's law, what is left is no longer called a state, but a gang,” according to the article.

Costs and competing explanations

Hakki Tas, a Turkey expert at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies, or GIGA, said such cases have increased in recent years. He said Turkey has a right to guard against foreign intelligence services amid regional competition and conflict, while also noting a long-standing pattern of bringing opposition figures before courts on security charges.