Writer Erdoğan Akhanlı was expelled from the country on 6 January when he was about to leave for Germany. Akhanlı had been arrested when he entered Turkey in August 2010 on the grounds of his alleged involvement in an armed robbery committed 20 years ago. He was released pending trial in December 2010.
Lawyer Haydar Erol confirmed Akhanlı's expulsion in an interview with bianet. He declared that his client was expelled based on the Ministry of the Interior's circular no. 180 issued in 2006.
Erol explained that the circular referred to "Foreigners who come to Turkey and are being convicted". The lawyer continued, "The circular was designed in a way that it comprises convicts as well as detained defendants. A person who was released is not guilty anyways on the grounds of the presumption of innocence. The regulation orders to expel a person immediately in the case of release. Circulars should be in line with the legal system and the law".
As reported by Erol to bianet, Akhanlı was expelled as follows:
Akhanlı was going to board the 10.50 pm plane from Istanbul/Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Cologne (Germany) on 5 January. He came to the airport together with his lawyer in order to avoid any problems. The author was stopped after the passport control and exposed to a monetary fine of TL 390.65 (€180) because he allegedly "exceeded the three-month residence permit for foreigners". Akhanlı objected, "What would you do if I did not have the money?" but his lawyer appeased him saying, "Don't worry, let's pay and we will be reimbursed later".
While he was still waiting for the plane, an inspector approached Akhanlı and told him that there was a mistake and hence there was no fine so he got his money back. The inspector asked the writer how he could go abroad while a case was still pending against him. Thereupon, Akhanlı showed him a copy of the decision given by the Istanbul 11th High Criminal Court on 8 December 2010. The court did not restrict Akhanlı from leaving the country.
"When they could not make anything out of the decision, they made us wait a long time. Something would be done but they did not know how to decide. They said they were waiting for instructions from somewhere. They were also delaying the plane" Erol described the situation at the airport.
Showing Akhanlı the Ministry's circular no. 180, they told him, "According to the circular, we have to expel you from the country. You cannot go abroad just as it pleases you, we are expelling you". The inspector apparently treated Akhanlı with a "rude attitude". "As far as I know, the inspector was going to punch Mr. Akhanlı", Erol said and added that the inspector was stopped because Akhanlı is a German citizen.
Akhanlı was kept at the airport police station till 9.00 am on Thursday morning (6 January). Then he was taken to a health centre in Pendik (east of Istanbul) and eventually procedures were settled at the Kumkapı (Istanbul) Foreigners Branch to expel Akhanlı from the country.
Five months after the author came to Turkey to see his critically ill father, he was expelled from the country via the Atatürk Airport in Istanbul. He was taken on the 12.25 pm plane to Cologne on 6 January.
Lawyer Erol announced that Akhanlı's lawyers in Germany were going to take legal measures against the treatment of the writer. (EÖ/VK)
