Joe Borelli visits Turkey in 2015 with other NY politicians, the trip was paid for by Gulen NGO Turkish New York Cultural Center. He made a special trip to a Turkish prison housing Gulen criminals to plead on their behalf.
Joe Borelli, Staten Island - NY
Why did you take a all expenses paid trip
to Turkey by the Gulen Turkish Cultural Center of NY
Then REFUSE to meet with other Turkish - Americans
Joe Borelli forget he was elected by the people Staten Island, NY to represent them, instead only represents his financial handlers of the Gulen Movement
CITY HALL -- Two South Shore officials traveled to Turkey earlier this month to learn about human and civil rights abuses there.
Assemblyman Joseph Borelli and Minority Leader Vincent Ignizio, both Republicans, were in Paris, France, and Istanbul from April 11 to 14. They tried to visit detainees in a high-security prison in Istanbul while on the trip, financed by the Turkish Cultural Center of New York.
But Borelli and Ignizio were denied access to the prisoners, including two journalists.
"We were trying to be part of the public outcry against the detainment of journalists," Borelli said. "Hell, you can put a journalist in jail but it can't be for the crime of reporting the news."
Joined by Long Island Assemblyman Joseph Saladino, the Staten Island politicians went to Silivri Prison to visit the journalists and Ertan Ercikti, the former Istanbul Public Order Bureau Chief who oversaw the murder investigation of Silver Lake mother Sarai Sierra.
The Turkish Ministry of Justice denied the Staten Island officials' request to meet with Ercikti, as well as requests to visit journalists Hidayet Karaca and Mehmet Baransu.
According to Turkish media, Ercikti is accused of wrongfully investigating a jihadist group. Borelli and Ignizio wanted to thank him for his part in solving Ms. Sierra's murder.Karaca and Baransu were arrested in what human rights advocates believe is a crackdown of media critical of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Borelli and Ignizio said the experience made them both wary of U.S. relations with Turkey and appreciative of rights back home.
"The cornerstone of United States democracy is freedom of speech and freedom of the press," Ignizio said. "For that to be infringed upon in a NATO ally was disturbing to me."
The Turkish Cultural Center of New York said the pair were invited on the trip, along with "many other politicians" who were unable to go, so that they could explore human rights violations and the suppression and imprisonment of journalists first-hand.
"Turkish Americans in New York have voiced their concerns regarding these events in Turkey," a statement from the center read.
The Turkish Cultural Center covered all traveling expenses, costing roughly $1,500 to $2,000 for each of the officials, according to an invitation dated April 6.
The Conflicts of Interest Board and the state ethics commission approved Ignizio and Borelli's participation, respectively.
Ignizio and Borelli spent just over a day in Paris during the first leg of the trip. They met with Muslim community leaders and attended the International Festival of Language and Culture, where a group of students performed.
"They were interested -- almost excited -- about meeting Americans and, in essence, advancing peace amongst all our countries," Ignizio said of those he met while away.
The pair arrived in Istanbul on April 12 and spent the next day visiting the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia and meeting with Turkish groups, including journalists.
After going to the prison on April 14, the politicians planned to attend an opening reception for the New Human Rights Organization that night. The event was abruptly cancelled when someone from the Turkish government called the hotel where it was to be held.
"It really sent a shiver down my spine," Ignizio said.
The Turkish Cultural Center sponsors a variety of trips for New Yorkers, including politicians.
This was Ignizio's first time in Turkey. Borelli went on another trip there last year sponsored by the same center.
http://www.silive.com/news/2015/04/south_shore_officials_visit_tu.html
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| Joe Borelli's facebook page slamming and vilifying anything Turkish or having to do with Erdogan. (Turkish Government) |
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