The disappeared portrait

President Putin did not go to Antalya to watch the Türkiye football match - Russia, along with President Erdogan, as previously reported by the Turkish media. Perhaps Putin dawned on Putin: to visit politeness to the country, where they are now arrested a thousand people a day, is not the best idea. What is happening in Turkey - the author of The New Times shares impressions of the trip to Istanbul

We will be sick remotely, ”said Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov about a football match. In fact, from the country of Erdogan, even if it promises you golden mountains in the form of billions of business projects and lures your tourists into its resorts, today it is really better to stay at a distance. In Turkey, it seems that 1984 came. All according to Orwell: war is peace, freedom is slavery, and democracy are thousands of disagreements in prisons.

Another country

After July 15-16, Türkiye, which failed on July 15-16, changed markedly. This is understandable already on board any Turkish plane, following the flight to Istanbul or back. Everywhere red-white flags with a star and crescent. In the pockets of the seats - booklets in English with political information about the "protection of democracy" from the failed putsch. Foreigners, unlike Turkish passengers, willingly take this publication with them - as a souvenir.

It is easy to learn the Turks among passengers: the red flag with a white crescent is decorated with their T -shirts, rings, earrings and even the Charders - it seems that everyone deliberately demonstrates their “Turkishness”. But they prefer not to answer questions about the situation in the country and its leader.

From a huge screen in the Istanbul airport named after Ataturk, Erdogan looks at you, broadcasting about the opening of movement on a new, third, bridge over the Bosphorus. People pass by, not paying attention to the screen. Nothing reminds of 44 victims of the terrorist terrorists from ISIS two months ago. Around - only hijabs and shops for the rich.

There are about 80 thousand military personnel, entrepreneurs, journalists, dissidents and oppositionists suspected of participating in the coup. To free up a place in prisons for them, more than 30 thousand robbers, killers and other criminals had to be released for freedom

The same thing is in the city. In 2013, Istanbul was in full swing from a different voice, people were not afraid to talk about what worries them. Taxim Square, where dissatisfied with the authorities gathered, was one continuous Hyde Park. Now everything is different. 99% of those who previously easily made contact, after the first conversation with a foreign journalist-“Hello-Hell”-are not available. If anyone suddenly drops - they say, “terrible times have come,” refuses to name his name.

If you ask someone about the domestic political situation, in most cases the answer would be a quote from the same on-board booklet: “Democracy won.” The word “democracy” sounds everywhere - and this is in a country where 11 thousand people lost their passports and have no opportunity to leave the country where 2745 judges are deprived of the powers, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 9000 police officers, 9,000 employees of the Ministry of Finance, 7,500 civilians and the number of military persons are not given the number of military employees. There are about 80 thousand military personnel, entrepreneurs, journalists, dissidents and oppositionists suspected of participating in the coup. To free up a place in prisons for them, more than 30 thousand robbers, killers and other criminals had to be released.

Without waiting for repression, many committed suicide. Among the suicides the governor, the first deputy commander of the brigade and many other military, three police officers. During the cleaning resembling Stalinist repressions, 15 thousand teachers lost their jobs, 21 thousand lost their licenses for teaching, 1,500 leaders of university departments were forced to write applications for departure. All of them are accused of "betrayal of their homeland" and "Gulenism." It is the 75-year-old Imam Fethullah Gulen, who lives in the USA, according to the President of Turkey, and is worth a July attempt to overthrow his power.

Night arrests

In the past, Gulen was an Erdogan mentor; It was he who once helped him to obtain power over the army, which has always been a decisive force in the country. Now he is an enemy number one. The Turkish millionaire, who settled behind the ocean, owns television channels and newspapers; The Hismet movement (in Turkish “help”) supported by him support, according to various sources, from 3 to 5 million people. Gulen spreads his views through his own schools and universities in 160 countries. Erdogan continues to ask for the states about the extradition of a former mentor, but to no avail.

The merchants in the Istanbul market in the course of the bike, giving black humor: to the question of how much the goods cost, they, smiling slyly, ask the counter: "Are you for Allah or Fethullah?" - The price depends on, they say.

The university teacher Mehmet (the surname flatly refuses to name) says that repression has become a nutrient medium for informers and scammers. “It is enough that you are brought to the police as a“ hidden gullenist ” - and that’s all, they will come for you the very next day. Then there will be interrogations in the security service. Not everyone manages to get off. Many of my colleagues lost their jobs. ”

Familiar journalist Yilmaz says that they reached a special scope of repest in small cities. There is still a civil society, foreign journalists, and human rights organizations can raise noise in Istana and Ankara. And in the field they come after people at night - and take it away. For some time now, President Erdogan will recall the Stalin Yilmaz: He is the Devil. He consistently goes to the goal - to completely subjugate the country to his power will. And the worst thing is that they believe him. ”

Turkish journalists in the list of enemies of the Turkish authorities occupy a special place. The coup attempt only aggravated the process of suppressing freedom of speech, which began five years ago. Back in 2013, Türkiye became one of the record holders in the number of prisoners of journalists, along with Iran and China. One of the last independent Turkish newspapers is “Cumhuriyet” (Cumhuriyet), the only one in the Islamic country that very caricature of Charlie Hebdo, which, as a result of the attack of jihadists, cost the life of the Parisian edition. After the publication, the Jumkhurit offices were filled with angry Muslims. But real trials began for the newspaper after she published an article about the secret communication channel between the military from the Erdogan’s circle and the Islamic State*. The editor -in -chief Dzhan Dundar was trained to five years in prison, but then the court postponed the execution of the verdict until the investigation was completely completed. In mid -August, Dundar announced the departure from the post of chief editor, as he no longer believes in the justice of the Turkish court, after which, according to his former colleagues, managed to leave the country.

"Gift of Allah"

According to the Iranian and Russian media, in July it was Russian intelligence in a few hours who warned Erdogan about the upcoming coup. And at the follow-up of the leaders of the two countries in St. Petersburg, where the Turkish President flew gratitude, his Russian colleague without false modesty stated: “I was one of the first to express the words of support ... We always speak categorically against any attempts of unconstitutional actions.” Erdogan answered not without pathos: "My friend, the Middle East expects great achievements from us." But in recent European friends, the Turkish leader is offended: if they called to support, then too late. “They (EU leaders. - NT) protect the enemies of Turkey, they are on the side of the terrorists,” Erdogan is convinced.

Meanwhile, according to the experts with whom it was possible to talk in Istanbul on a strict anonymity, the coup failed not only thanks to a signal from Russia, but also because those who depended on its success, Erdogan managed to send to the bunks, and the list of enemies was ready long before the putsch. Then it arises in advance: was there a real putsch?

Erdogan now calls the July events, which almost cost his life, the “gift of Allah”, referring to an excellent occasion to “cleanse” the country. At the same time, it seems that the majority of the population not only does not object to such a “temporary violation of human rights”, but is also ready to take the next step along the path to democracy in erdogan, demanding to return the death penalty. It is proposed to bury the executed in a special cemetery, where, according to the mayor of Istanbul, Kadir Topbash, "people will come and curse them."

Those on whom his success depended, Erdogan managed to send to the bunks, and the list of enemies was ready long before the putsch. Then it arises in advance: was there really a putsch?

The highest measure of punishment was canceled in Turkey in 2004 - this was one of the conditions so desirable for Ankara entry into the European Union. But the situation has changed. “If the people want to return the death penalty, the party should agree,” Erdogan said in his July speech, and a million Turks went outside to support him.

The window is slammed

Istanbul, in which until recently, a completely European atmosphere reigned, in the West is often called “window to Europe”-by analogy with St. Petersburg. And with Peter the Great, it is quite possible to compare the founder of the modern Turkish state, the first president of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Ataturk, who turned the Islamic country into a secular state.

It is Ataturk who is a key figure for understanding the failed coup. Türkiye is gradually returning to the bosom of Islamic states. It is no coincidence that in July people on the call of Erdogan took to meet the tanks with the slogans "Allah Great!" The army, whose leadership always stood behind the secular character of the state, was defeated by poorly educated, but very religious fellow citizens.

In 2013, during protests in the Taxim-Gazie Park, the whole world flooded the photographs of a “standing man”. So then they called the artist Erdem Gunduz, who stood for several hours, silently looking at the portrait of Ataturk. The “standing man” still lives in Turkey, but his eyes are not the same. “I looked at Ataturka to recall the country's secular values. Now I would not do this, ”he explained in a conversation with the author of these lines. - I became a different person. Istanbul has become another city. Türkiye becomes different, religious, state. ”

By the way, there is no longer a portrait of Ataturk in the Taxim-Gezi park. In the place where he always hung, now a homemade poster flaunts with the wish of death to the “dogs”, who planned and arranged a coup.

* ISIS, IG, the Islamic State - a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation.