Instead of carrying out journalism, Anadolu Agency, a news agency funded by the Turkish government, which makes fabricated news content by taking photos and recording videos of the individuals targeted by the Turkish intelligence with the help of espionage activities and surveillance techniques, recently targeted Akın İpek, a businessman living in England. The reason they chose to target Akin Ipek is the fact that he successfully started the trialing process of the Turkish Government, which seized his assets unlawfully in Turkey, in the international court. Anadolu Agency had pointed many American citizens and journalists of Turkish origin in the U.S as targets with similar methods in the past. All of these activities require Anadolu Agency to be registered as a “Foreign Agent” in USA, just like Russia Today.
‘The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) is a United States law passed in 1938 requiring that agents representing the interests of foreign powers in a “political or quasi-political capacity” disclose their relationship with the foreign government and information about related activities and finances. The purpose is to facilitate “evaluation by the government and the American people of the statements and activities of such persons.” The law is administered by the FARA Registration Unit of the Counterespionage Section (CES) in the National Security Division (NSD) of the United States Department of Justice.’
The edge between journalism and propaganda is very thin, especially, if we are talking about the media which is founded by the government. Almost all the materials of AA are simply propaganda and fake news. First, It is very clear that they have only one angle. Second, it is lack of transparency regarding sources of their budgeting. Third, they only target the dissidents of Turkish Government by using developed surveillance techniques not only in the U.S and E.U but in England as well. The last target of these spying activities was Mr. Akin Ipek, a well-known Turkish Businessman who reside legally in England.
Akın İpek made the following statement about the fake news, “AA (Anadolu Agency) published my explicit address in details and pointed me as a target. There is a reason behind this. Since they are unable to compete against me legally and morally, they would like to silence me. I am receiving death threats. And here is my answer for them: If I would know I am going to die tomorrow, I will have a shukrana (gratitude prayer in Islam) prayer today… The fear of death belongs to the wretched people who had spent their lives and wealth towards torturing hundreds of thousands of innocent people.”
It is noteworthy that the fake news appeared right after the application of İpek Holding, whose assets were seized before the July 15th process and received a trustee from the government to their administration, to the World Bank against AKP’s (Justice and Development Party) Turkey.
Ipek Holding stated that they suffered $5 billion in damages and requested the amount to be compensated. According to the news published in The Guardian, the application of İpek Investment (ILL), under the chairmanship of Hamdi Akın İpek, will be processed in Washington-based International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, which is affiliated with the World Bank.
Despite the fact that İpek was already relocated in England before the July 15th coup attempt, AA warped the facts and tried to demonstrate the London-based commercial activities of the businessman in England as a crime.
IPEK’S AIRCRAFT ALLOCATED BY FORMER PRIME MINISTER BINALI YILDIRIM’S SON
The developments were not limited to these only. The registration of the G450 aircraft called TC-IPK was changed, which belonged to ATP Aviation, an air taxi company owned by Akın İpek. TC-IPK registration was changed to TC-VTN. According to the information received, the registration process was nothing ordinary. It was alleged that while Ipek’s ATP Aviation, where a trustee had been appointed by the government to their administration, was still giving service as an air taxi by renting aircrafts, TC-IPK, an aircraft present in the fleet, was allocated to former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım’s son.
After the developments, Akın İpek stated the following through social media, “AA (Anadolu Agency) published my explicit address in details and pointed me as a target. There is a reason behind this. Since they are unable to compete against me legally and morally, they would like to silence me…
Koza Altın (Koza Gold) is a ship I had built and currently own. It was hijacked by the pirates back in 2015. The pirates came to England and they claim they own the ship. They are trying to confiscate my boat here with the money they had seized in the ship, which they are going to use for hiring lawyers. This is the case. The legal owner of Koza Altın is the only individual who could file a suit on behalf of the ship or authorize the lawyers. And that individual is me… Not the pirates… A universal right such as the right of possession does not disappear just because you had not believed in it.”
INTERNATIONAL COURTS FRIGHTEN THEM
“Does anybody remember why Koza Group received a trustee from the government back in 2015? 3 years has passed. Those utter nonsense lies are not in the files even as allegations anymore… There is only piracy. This subject is going to be discussed together with all the evidences in international courts… This is why they are distressed… They are threatening me with death… And here is my answer for them: If I would know I am going to die tomorrow, I will have a shukrana (gratitude prayer in Islam) prayer today… The fear of death belongs to the wretched people who had spent their lives and wealth towards torturing hundreds of thousands of innocent people.”
IPEK AND BELGIAN CASCADE TAKE THE TRUSTEE OCCUPATION AND UNLAWFUL CONFISCATIONS TO INTERNATIONAL COURTS
According to the news published in The Guardian, the applications of İpek Investment (ILL), under the chairmanship of Hamdi Akın İpek, and Belgium-based Cascade Investment, which states that their assets were seized by the AKP government during the closure process of Zaman newspaper, will be processed in Washington-based International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, which is affiliated with the World Bank.
While the defendant parties pointed out that they lost millions of dollars as a result of the actions of the government, it was stated that Ankara could be obliged to pay damages in case the application results against them.
“Turkish government completely ignored the right of possession and human rights.”
Ipek Investment Ltd stated that they have between $5 to $6 billion in damages, and seeking compensation because “they faced a discriminatory manner”.
The spokesperson for Ipek Investment stated for the companies, which were seized, received trustees from the government, and alleged that they were related with the so-called FETÖ, “IIL shareholding was formed with a business which was worth a few billion dollars, which was targeted by the Erdoğan regime on purpose and seized. The Turkish government completely ignored the right of possession, human rights, and all of the humanity.”
The spokesperson of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, a London-based law firm representing Ipek Investment, argued that the stance of Turkey was a strong example of Turkey’s violation of fair stance towards the confiscation processes. The spokesperson also claimed that one of the executives of Koza Group “has been held a prisoner without any logical reason for over 2 years”.
In sum, Turkish Government fears that this particular case can trigger some other potential lawsuits. Considering the evidences and anti-democratic rule in Turkey, many believe that Akin Ipek most likely to win the trial.
