Syrian refugee faces deportation for criticizing AKP congresses and use of tear gas in mosque

Turkish authorities have issued a deportation decision for a Syrian refugee for criticizing the law enforcement's recent use of tear gas in a mosque and the ruling AKP's packed congresses.

Tuesday May 04 2021 10:55 pm

Syrian refugee Munip Ali faces deportation (Photo: Twitter).

Duvar English

Turkish authorities have issued a deportation decision for a Syrian refugee after he criticized the law enforcement's recent use of tear gas in a mosque by posting a video of people on their way to a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) congress, Mezopotamya News Agency reported on May 4.

Munip Ali on Twitter shared footage of the police using tear gas against a group of Islamist foundation members praying at a mosque in the southeastern province of Gaziantep on May 3.

“This scene is neither in Palestine nor Al-Aqsa Mosque. Do you know where this humiliating incident took place? ... In Syria, Bashar al-Assad's soldiers were doing the same thing to the Muslims praying in Allah's houses,” Ali wrote on Twitter.

In the same tweet, he also shared footage of several people packed in a bus on their way to an AKP congress. “But if we go to an AKP congress, this is how it is,” Ali wrote.

Ama AKP kongre gidersek durumlar böyle pic.twitter.com/3t8Ucmepbh
— Munip Ali (@Munip_Algilha) May 3, 2021

Lawyer Meral Kaban said that her client is facing charges of “provoking the public to hatred and animosity.”

Kaban said that Ali will be sent to the Çiğli Removal Center in the Aegean province of İzmir to be deported from the country.

She further said that Ali's comments were in line with freedom of speech and they would appeal this "unlawful" decision.

In March, the AKP held several congresses across the country inside packed sports complexes despite a new surge of COVID-19 cases.

Although the ruling party was criticized for its breach of the COVID-19 rules, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on many occasions boasted about the size of the crowds.

Turkey has seen a dramatic increase in virus cases in the aftermath of these congresses and large gatherings.