The German government has confirmed for the first time the existence of "execution lists" containing the names of opposition figures in exile against the Erdoğan regime. "There are currently indications of various lists with names of people who are presumed to be critical of the Turkish government," wrote Secretary of the Interior Helmut Teichmann in his response to a question from Helin Evrim Sommer, the development policy spokeswoman for the DIE LINKE parliamentary group in the Bundestag.

The federal government does not have a concrete list at the moment, it was said, and the "consolidation of knowledge" is continuing. Critics of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government who live in exile in Germany learned that lists were circulating among Turkish nationalists in this country on which up to 55 opposition figures in exile were to be named. The information about the existence of this list came from police circles.

Erk Acarer continues to be threatened despite police protection

In Germany, critical journalists, politicians and activists from Turkey are repeatedly threatened and sometimes even attacked. Just three weeks ago, Berlin-based journalist Erk Acarer was attacked and beaten up by two armed men in the backyard of his home. A third man had been watching the area. Although he has since been under police protection, he continues to be threatened. Acarer, who works for the Cologne-based exile broadcaster Artı TV and the dissident Turkish newspaper Birgün, among others, had reported on the links between Turkey and ISIS and was thus targeted by the Erdoğan regime.

Ferhat Tunç and Hasip Kaplan also on death list

The editor-in-chief of Artı TV, Celal Başlangıç, is also on an execution list. The 65-year-old journalist received a visit last week from the criminal investigation department, which reportedly warned him that his safety was in danger. Then over the weekend, Kurdish musician Ferhat Tunç made it known that he had been informed by the Darmstadt police that his name was on a death list. The Kurdish politician and former HDP deputy Hasip Kaplan also said that he had been contacted by German security authorities about the case.

Sommer: Erdogan's terror network in Germany is more active than ever

The left-wing politician Helin Evrim Sommer, who had asked the Federal Ministry of the Interior about the current incidents, told the Tagesspiegel on Monday: "Erdogan's terror network in Germany is more active than ever. Systematically created death lists are intended to make an example of opposition exiles. I expect the German government to take a clear position and fulfill its duty to protect." Chancellor Angela Merkel would have to summon the Turkish ambassador, she said and added, "Such execution lists also endanger Germany's internal security."

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