Ukraine and Turkey collaborate to arrest blogger in Kiev with alleged ties to 2016 coup

A Turkish blogger was arrested by Security Services of Ukrainian (SBU) agents this week in Kiev. The man identified as Yusuf Inan was detained at Turkey’s request for being involved with the failed 2016 military coup in Turkey against the recently re-elected President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Turkish state-sponsored media reported that Yusuf Inan was extradited from Ukraine via an operation spearheaded by the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) as part of an anti-terrorism operation. Kiev police spokesman, Olena Berezhna, told the press that Inan was captured in Mykolaiv “by the Ukrainian security service, who took him” away for deportation.

The event was only the most recent international action taken against suspected members of the attempted coup two years ago. The coup was allegedly orchestrated by a U.S. preacher named Fethullah Gulen, and the Turkish government has been going after anyone who had ties to the event or the man. Inan has been accused of “trying to discredit some political figures and state officials in Turkey by carrying out a perception operation on social media,” according to Turkish state media. Inan is wanted for “being a member of an armed organisation,” in Izmir province as well; he had fled to Ukraine shortly after the attempted coup took place. He is a legally permitted resident of Ukraine and is married to a local Ukrainian woman according to reports.

Ukrainian officials have yet to confirm the deportation — both the prosecutor and SBU have neglected to comment on the situation as well. As an isolated incident none of this would warrant as much interest but just last week, Turkish national Salih Zeki Yigit was arrested in Ukraine under similar circumstances and deported back to Turkey. The Turkish MIT has conducted overseas operations in the past to capture political dissidents and bring them back to face the Turkish justice system.

Featured image: Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SOF) unit participating in a multinational exercise Flaming Sword 2018. | Ministry of Defence of Ukraine