Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern (OK-01) along with representatives Brian Babin (TX-36) led a letter to President Biden condemning the Biden Administration’s lack of action in response to Turkey putting a bounty on the head of American citizen Enes Kanter Freedom. 

Joining Chairman Hern and Rep. Babin on the letter are Representatives Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Warren Davidson (OH-08), Barry Moore (AL-02), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Burgess Owens (UT-04), Daniel Webster (FL-11), Keith Self (TX-03), Ron Estes (KS-04), David Rouzer (NC-07), Morgan Luttell (TX-08), Ben Cline (VA-06), Earl "Buddy" Carter (GA-01), Mike Ezell (MS-04), Gary Palmer (AL-06), Carlos Gimenez (FL-28), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Tracey Mann (KS-01), Chris Smith (NJ-04), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chris Stewart (UT-02), Nathaniel Moran (TX-01), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Mónica De La Cruz (TX-15), Kevin Kiley (CA-03), Michael Waltz (FL-06), Nick LaLota (NY-01), Erin Houchin (IA-47), Bill Posey (IA-09), Andy Barr (KY-06), Rich McCormick (GA-06), Jim Banks (IN-03), Randy Weber (TX-14), Mike Garcia (CA-27), Michael Guest (MS-03), Austin Scott (GA-08), and Bob Good (VA-05).

The letter calls on President Biden and the White House to review the actions the Turkish Government has been committing within the parameters of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.  The Members ask President Biden to investigate the situation and protect American citizens, like Mr. Freedom, who are being targeted by our NATO ally Turkey.

Mr. Freedom attended the Republican Study Committee’s weekly lunch on January 25 to give an update on his advocacy work against human rights violations in nations like Turkey and China, as well as urge Members of the Republican Study Committee to join the letter and help him get the attention of the Biden Administration not only for his situation, but for the many other innocent individuals Turkey is targeting for speaking out against their regime. 

The letter can be found here and below. 

January 30, 2023

President Joe Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Biden,

We, the undersigned, respectfully request that you review whether any Turkish individuals or entities (government or non-governmental) meet the criteria for designation under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, or any other relevant statute, for placing a bounty on information related to the capture of Enes Kanter Freedom.

According to Mr. Kanter Freedom,[1] the Turkish government is offering up to 10 million Turkish lira, or about $500,000, for information leading to his capture. The Turkish government has issued at least 10 arrest warrants for Kanter Freedom beginning in 2017 for “insulting the President” related to his speaking out against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.[2] In 2017, during a visit to Indonesia, the Turkish government employed local police to kidnap Kanter Freedom, making reports of a bounty even more troubling.[3]

Mr. Kanter Freedom is a law-abiding U.S. citizen who has been outspoken about human rights across the world. The Turkish government has not provided evidence that Kanter Freedom has engaged in any illicit action, supported terrorism, or used violence against the Turkish state. It seems clear that Mr. Kanter Freedom is being targeted by Turkey for exercising his fundamental rights in expressing political opinions, which are protected under the U.S. Constitution.

We are deeply concerned by the continuing deterioration of human rights and rule of law in Turkey. Under President Erdogan, Turkey has grown increasingly authoritarian, with the government systematically detaining, prosecuting, and convicting political opponents, journalists, and critics of the President on charges of terrorism and insulting the President. We urge your administration to press the Turkish government on freedom of speech, free exercise of religion, and other fundamental rights, specifically regarding the case of Enes Kanter Freedom.

The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (22 USC 2656) authorizes the President to impose sanctions with respect to any foreign person the President determines, based on credible evidence, “is responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights committed against individuals in any foreign country who seek… to obtain, exercise, defend, or promote internationally recognized human rights and freedoms, such as the freedoms of religion, expression, association, and assembly, and the rights to a fair trial and democratic elections.”

We request a response to the following questions before Friday, February 3, 2023:

1. Does any Turkish person or entity, including any member of any national or local level security or police force in Turkey, meet the criteria of designation for sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act or any other relevant statute for issuing a bounty or reward for information regarding the arrest or capture of Enes Kanter Freedom? Please provide a full list of persons or entities responsible in any way, directly or indirectly, in the issuance of the bounty or of any gross human rights abuses against Enes Kanter Freedom, along with a detailed justification regarding whether or not such persons or entities meet the criteria for sanctions.
2. Has the Biden administration confronted the Turkish government with regard to threats issued by their government against Enes Kanter Freedom? Was this matter discussed with the Turkish Foreign Minister on January 18, 2023? Will the Biden administration take concrete action to hold those Turkish persons or entities responsible for any human rights abuses against Enes Kanter Freedom?

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

[1] https://nypost.com/2023/01/12/ex-nba-star-enes-kanter-has-500k-turkish-bounty-on-his-head/
[2] https://www.axios.com/2021/08/06/basketballs-enes-kanter-turkish-arrest-warrants
[3] https://hrf.org/turkey-hrf-denounces-erdogans-threats-to-enes-kanter-freedom/

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