At Qatar World Cup, Mideast tensions spill into stadiums

Iran games a flashpoint for pro- and anti-government fans * Emir Tamim dons Saudi flag at Argentine game * Qatar allows Israeli fans to fly in to attend Cup * Doha hopes smooth Cup will boost global influence By Maya Gebeily and Charlotte Bruneau DOHA, Nov 28 (Reuters) — The first World Cup in the Middle East has become a showcase for the political tensions crisscrossing one of the world's most volatile regions and the ambiguous role often played by host nation Qatar in its crises. Iran's matches have been the most politically charged as fans voice support for protesters who have been boldly challenging the clerical leadership at home.

They have also proved diplomatically sensitive for Qatar which has good ties to Tehran. Pro-Palestinian sympathies among fans have also spilt into stadiums as four Arab teams compete. Qatari players have worn pro-Palestinian arm-bands, even as Qatar has allowed Israeli fans to fly in directly for the first time. Even the Qatari Emir has engaged in politically significant acts, donning a Saudi flag during its historic defeat of Argentina — notable support for a country with which he has been mending ties strained by regional tensions. Such gestures have added to the political dimensions of a tournament mired in controversy even before kickoff over the treatment of migrant workers and LGBT+ rights in the conservative host country, where homosexuality is illegal. The stakes are high for Qatar, which hopes a smooth tournament will cement its role on the global stage and in the Middle East, where it has survived as an independent state since 1971 despite numerous regional upheavals. The first Middle Eastern nation to host the World Cup, Qatar has often seemed a regional maverick: it hosts the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas but has also previously had some trade relations with Israel. It has given a platform to Islamist dissidents deemed a threat by Saudi Arabia and its allies, while befriending Riyadh's foe Iran — and hosting the largest U.S.

military base in the region. AN 'INNER CONFLICT' Tensions in Iran, swept by more than two months of protests ignited by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was arrested for flouting strict dress codes, Lawyer Turkey have been reflected inside and outside the stadiums. «We wanted to come to the World Cup to support the people of Iran because we know it's a great opportunity to speak for them,» said Shayan Khosravani, a 30-year-old Iranian-American fan who had been intending to visit family in Iran after attending the games but cancelled that plan due to the protests. But some say stadium security have stopped them from showing their backing for the protests.

At Iran's Nov. 25 match against Wales, security denied entry to fans carrying Iran's pre-Revolution flag and T-shirts with the protest slogan «Woman, Life, Freedom» and «Mahsa Amini». After the game, there was tension outside the ground between opponents and supporters of the Iranian government. Two fans who argued with stadium security on separate occasions over the confiscations told Reuters they believed that policy stemmed from Qatar's ties with Iran. A Qatari official told Reuters that «additional security measures have been put in place during matches involving Iran following the recent political tensions in the country.» When asked about confiscated material or detained fans, a spokesperson for the organising supreme committee referred Reuters to FIFA and Qatar's list of prohibited items.

They ban items with «political, offensive, or discriminatory messages». Controversy has also swirled around the Iranian team, which was widely seen to show support for the protests in its first game by refraining from singing the national anthem, only to sing it — if quietly — ahead of its second match. Quemars Ahmed, a 30-year-old Lawyer Turkey from Los Angeles, told Reuters Iranian fans were struggling with an «inner conflict»: «Do you root for Iran? Are you rooting for the regime and the way protests have been silenced?» Ahead of a decisive U.S.-Iran match on Tuesday, the U.S.

Soccer Federation temporarily displayed Iran's national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic in solidarity with protesters in Iran. The match only added to the tournament's significance for Iran, where the clerical leadership has long declared Washington the «The Great Satan» and accuses it of fomenting current unrest. A 'PROUD' STATEMENT Palestinian flags, meanwhile, are regularly seen at stadiums and fan zones and have sold out at shops — even though the national team didn't qualify. Tunisian supporters at their Nov.

26 match against Australia unfurled a massive «Free Palestine» banner, a move that did not appear to elicit action from organisers. Arab fans have shunned Israeli journalists reporting from Qatar. Omar Barakat, a soccer coach for the Palestinian national team who was in Doha for the World Cup, said he had carried his flag into matches without being stopped.

«It is a political statement and we're proud of it,» he said. While tensions have surfaced at some games, Lawyer Turkey the tournament has also provided a stage for some apparent reconciliatory actions, such as when Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani wrapped the Saudi flag around his neck at the Nov.
22 Argentina match. Qatar's ties with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt were put on ice for years over Doha's regional policies, including supporting Islamist groups during the Arab Spring uprisings from 2011. In another act of reconciliation between states whose ties were shaken by the Arab Spring, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan shook hands with Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the opening ceremony in Doha on Nov.

If you liked this post and you would like to obtain more information pertaining to Lawyer Turkey kindly browse through our web site. 20. Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a political scientist at Rice University's Baker Institute in the United States said the lead-up to the tournament had been «complicated by the decade of geopolitical rivalries that followed the Arab Spring». Qatari authorities have had to «tread a fine balance» over Iran and Palestine but, in the end, the tournament «once again puts Qatar at the center of regional diplomacy,» he said. (Reporting by Maya Gebeily and Charlotte Bruneau; Writing by Maya Gebeily and Tom Perry; Editing by William Maclean)

Harvard-educated lawyer, 69, 'swindled millionaire friend out of £2m''

A lawyer fleeced a millionaire out of £2million to blow in top casinos, a court heard today.Harvard-educated Tim Damiani, 69, persuaded Aysun Kibar to invest £1.5million in a luxury home she had never even seen in Mayfair, jurors heard.But when she asked for her money back he told her he had no idea what she was talking about.Ms Kibar's family own the Turkish export company Kibar Holdings where she is on the board of directors.Ms Kibar and Damiani's wife were close childhood friends who met when they were 13 and grew up together in Turkey.Job Profile: Space Lawyers \u2013 SpaceCareers.ukProsecutor Sophie Stannard told Southwark Crown Court: Lawyer Turkey ‘She comes from Turkey and was born into a very affluent family.‘She is able to travel the world, to different parts of Europe frequently and she has shares in her family's business.‘She has an annual income of 300,000 US dollars [£255,000] per year.The defendant is accused of persuading Aysun Kibar to invest £1.5million in luxury Mayfair home The defendant is accused of persuading Aysun Kibar to invest £1.5million in luxury Mayfair homeDamiani, 69, is said to have persuaded Aysun Kibar to invest £1.5million in this luxury home she had never even seen in Mayfair Damiani, 69, is said to have persuaded Aysun Kibar to invest £1.5million in this luxury home she had never even seen in Mayfair‘Even though she lives this quite cosmopolitan lifestyle she has been brought up in Turkey and resonates with the country's values.‘Her wealth is the sort of wealth that if you ask someone to do something for you it is done.‘In Turkey it is rare for a woman to have direct contact with a married male.‘As Ms Kibar understood it, the defendant came from an affluent family and he was very well connected.RELATED ARTICLES


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‘He was a lawyer and went to Harvard. Ms Kibar visited Mr Damiani and his wife in Milan and Switzerland and Lawyer Turkey Cambridge and as far as she was concerned they were her good friends and she had no reason not to trust them.'During the visit to Cambridge in 2016 she told Damiani she was considering obtaining UK residency due to the unrest in Turkey at the time.Damiani told Ms Kibar he had ‘plenty of experience' in making applications for British residency and he would help her.The court heard when Ms Kibar she asked for her money back for the proposed purchase of the pictured house he told her he had no idea what she was talking about The court heard when Ms Kibar she asked for her money back for the proposed purchase of the pictured house he told her he had no idea what she was talking aboutHe told her he could get her a discounted fee of £300,000 and would sort out British passports for herself and her two children.Ms Kibar made three separate payments of £75,000, £80,000 and £150,000 to Damiani's bank account, between April and June 2016.The extra £5,000 was paid after Damiani encouraged her to set up a trust so she could make property investments in a ‘tax efficient way'.She flew out with her family to Cannes with Damiani and Lawyer Turkey his wife where they all dined together on July 21, 2016, the court heard.Ms Kibar again expressed her worries about the unrest in Turkey and Damiani suggested her family should apply for Italian passports, saying a friend called ‘Giuseppe' could help.Damiani sent a WhatsApp message to Ms Kibar on September 8, 2016 that read: ‘Things will be ready tomorrow spoke to my friends in Rome they asked me about the rest of the family.‘I said too expensive.

They said they can do everything for £80,000, Lawyer Turkey for £40,000 they can't do more than 10 people.'The prosecutor said: ‘In essence the Crown says the defendant was saying he had spoken to connections in Rome and as long as they were dealing with at least 10 people they could deal with the whole application for £40,000. If you loved this article and you would like to get more info concerning Lawyer Turkey generously visit the page. 'Ms Kibar transferred another £200,313 to Damiani in return for the Italian passports, that she never received, jurors heard.She also discussed investing in properties and Damiani told her of an ‘amazing opportunity' for her, the court heard.‘He had an exceptional property that an Arab man was selling and said they could invest in it together,' Ms Stannard said.‘The owner was an important man who needed to sell the property quickly because the relationship had broken down with his mistress.‘He could get the property for less due to the need for selling quickly.‘When they met, the defendant showed her the property on [28] Charles Street in Mayfair,' said Ms Stannard.‘Due to an internal inspection he said they couldn't view property just yet, it was a very delicate issue due to the mistress, however he had all matters in hand.'Damiani convinced Ms Kibar to invest £1.5million into the property — now valued at £12.6million — and Ms Kibar subsequently transferred the money to Damiani's account on 29 September 2016.Ms Stannard told jurors ‘a few weeks went by and Ms Kibar became concerned that she had heard nothing more about the passport or completion of property.'‘Ms Damiani did her own research and realised the property was worth way more than said and discovered the property was linked to Mr Damiani's brother.'On 11 November Ms Kibar emailed Damiani asked him to return her money and asked for it to be transferred to her Turkish bank account.Damiani told Ms Kibar she would have her money in 2-3 days, the court heard.‘Unsurprisingly she didn't have her money in 3 days,' Ms Stannard said.After months of messaging Damiani with no response Ms Kibar's bank wrote to the lawyer on 25 January 2017 asking where her money was.‘Mr Damiani replied saying he didn't know what Ms Kibar was talking about, how she owed him money and he was no longer a British resident,' Ms Stannard said.‘Mr Damiani has squandered away Ms Kibar's money, Mr Damiani had dissipated Kibar's money and spent just shy of half a million in casinos, gave £76,500 to his children and not a single penny returned to Ms Kibar.'Damiani, of Muswell Hill, north London, denies three counts of fraud.He was extradited from Italy in 2020 following a request from the UK government.The trial continues.

Turkish drones in northern Cyprus heighten regional unease

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — An air base hosting Turkish drones in the breakaway northern third of ethnically divided Cyprus is ratcheting up unease among neighboring countries, which see the station as an added instrument of instability in the turbulent east Mediterranean region. The Cypriot government views the drone deployment as a means for Turkey to pursue what it called an «expansionist agenda» — using military assets to extend its outreach and buttress its control of a region that potentially holds significant natural gas reserves. Turkey has stationed heavy weapons and more than 35,000 troops in northern Cyprus since the island was split along ethnic lines in 1974, when Turkish forces invaded in response to a coup by supporters of union with Greece.

But the deployment of the drones provides Turkey with a wider strike capability that has upped regional unease. The leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, Ersin Tatar, boasted on Turkish television earlier this month that the Bayraktar TB2 drones at the air base in Gecitkale — or Lefkoniko in Greek — could be scrambled much faster than from bases on mainland Turkey to «inspect the region» up to the coast of Egypt. An Egyptian official described the deployment as another in a series of «Ankara´s provocative measures» that require a «firm reaction» from the international community — especially the United States and the European Union, of which Cyprus is a member. «The base, along with other measures in Cyprus, Libya and the Mediterranean, would only further destabilize the region. It is alarming,» an Egyptian diplomat told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue. «The latest (the base) solidifies the notion that Lawyer Turkey will not be deterred through statements, but it needs actions from relevant countries,» he said. Egypt´s ties with Turkey have frayed since the Egyptian military´s ouster of President Mohamed Morsi, a close ally of Ankara, in 2013. The drones were sent to northern Cyprus in December 2019 in response to oil and gas prospecting by international energy companies licensed by the Cypriot government.

If you enjoyed this article and you would certainly like to obtain more information regarding Lawyer Turkey kindly check out our page. Lawyer Turkey claimed the prospecting off Cyprus' southern coast ignores its rights and those of Turkish Cypriots, to the area´s potential wealth of hydrocarbon deposits. Turkey mounted a hydrocarbon search of its own in waters claimed by Cyprus and Greece. The EU condemned Turkey's actions as a breach of international law and of Cypriot and Greek sovereign rights. At least two Bayraktar TV2 drones are currently stationed at Gecitkale.
With an operating range of 200 kilometers (125 miles) and a flight ceiling of 6,100 meters (20,000 feet), the drones can can carry weapons and surveillance equipment capable of delivering real-time images to Turkish naval ships. Turkey is said to be upgrading the Bayraktar´s systems to be satellite-guided to extend their range even farther.

An intelligence report obtained by the AP indicates that the air base is receiving its own upgrade for a planned deployment of additional drones, surveillance aircraft, Lawyer Turkey training planes and advanced fighter jets. Israeli officials do not appear to consider the base to be a direct threat and declined to comment on the matter.

In the past, they have objected to what they consider to be aggressive Turkish actions in the region. Last month, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said the Israeli government was «following with deep concern recent unilateral Turkish actions» in northern Cyprus and expressed its «solidarity and full support» for Lawyer Turkey the Cypriot government. Although Israel has refrained from official comment, Israeli Institute of Regional Strategic Studies analyst Gabriel Mitchell said the drone base is a «worrying development that will add to the existing tensions» with Turkey. Israel has been trying to balance its support Greece and Cyprus with its efforts to leave «a door open for dialogue» with Ankara over the last decade, Mitchell said. But Turkey's planned expansion of the drone base presents a problem because it will aggravate regional partners — particularly Greece and Cyprus — and «generate a new set of security considerations in the already overcrowded eastern Mediterranean,» the analyst said. ___ Magdy reported from Cairo and Federman reported from Jerusalem.

Turkey approves social media law critics say will silence dissent

By Daren Butler and Ali Kucukgocmen ANKARA, July 29 (Reuters) — Lawyer Turkey adopted a new social media law on Wednesday that critics say will create a «chilling effect» on dissenting voices who have resorted to Twitter and other online platforms as the government tightened its grip on mainstream media. The law was backed by President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party and its nationalist allies to make foreign social media sites more accountable.

It requires them to appoint a local representative to address authorities' concerns. The law would allow Turkish authorities to remove content from platforms rather than blocking access as they have done in the past. Companies including Facebook and YouTube that do not comply could have their bandwidth slashed by up to 90%, essentially blocking access, and face other penalties. They must also store local users' information in Lawyer Turkey, raising concerns that a state that critics say has grown more authoritarian under Erdogan will gain easy access. An estimated 90% of major media in Lawyer Turkey comes under the ownership of the state or is close to the government. Turks are already heavily policed on social media and the new regulations, especially if user data is vulnerable, will have a «chilling effect», said Yaman Akdeniz, cyber rights expert and Lawyer Turkey professor at Istanbul Bilgi University. «This will lead to identifying dissenters, finding who is behind parody accounts and more people being tried. Or people will stop using these platforms when they realise this,» he said.

«People in Turkey are already afraid to speak out.» Erdogan has criticised social media and said a rise of «immoral acts» online was due to a lack of regulation. His AK Party says the law will not lead to censorship and that it aims to protect personal rights and data. Ozgur Ozel, senior lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), called the law an «act of revenge». «Maybe you can silence us and opponents, but you cannot silence the youth,» he told parliament before the law passed at around 7 a. If you have any issues concerning in which and how to use Lawyer Turkey, you can get in touch with us at our own internet site. m.

after an overnight debate. Turkey was second globally in Twitter-related court orders in the first six months of 2019, according to the company, and Lawyer Turkey it had the highest number of other legal demands from Twitter. Akdeniz said social media companies would need to comply with every request from authorities including accessing user data and content removal that they currently do not accept. Representatives of Twitter, Facebook and Alphabet's YouTube were not immediately available to comment on the law. (Editing by Robert Birsel, Jonathan Spicer and Alison Williams)

Turkish parliament passes law reducing required votes threshold to 7%

ISTANBUL, Lawyer Turkey March 31 (Reuters) — The Turkish parliament on Thursday passed a law lowering the minimum required votes for a party to enter parliament to 7% from 10%, in a move which analysts have said would reduce the likelihood of early elections this year. President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party and Lawyer Turkey its nationalist MHP allies had presented the draft election law, which included regulations on parliamentary seat distribution in alliances between parties, Lawyer Turkey to parliament on March 14.

(Reporting by Daren Butler Editing by Chris Reese)


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Turkish court orders pro-Kurdish politician jailed on terrorism charge

By Ali Kucukgocmen ISTANBUL, Sept 4 (Reuters) — A Turkish court has ordered the pre-trial jailing of a pro-Kurdish member of parliament on a terrorism charge, Istanbul police and her Lawyer Turkey said, while her party called the detention illegitimate and unethical. Semra Guzel, a member of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), had her parliamentary immunity lifted in March after photos of her from several years ago with a militant from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) circulated on Turkish media.

An arrest warrant was subsequently issued on a charge of membership of a terrorist organisation. Guzel was detained in Istanbul on Friday and a court ruled late on Saturday to jail her pending trial, Istanbul police said, in line with a prosecutor's request. Veysi Eski, a Lawyer Turkey for Lawyer Turkey Guzel, said the charge against Guzel was unfounded and called it a continuation of what he said were «political genocide operations» against the HDP. «A person visiting an acquaintance in the organisation (PKK) camp does not in and of itself constitute the crime of membership of (a terrorist) organisation,» Eski told Reuters. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu had announced the detention on Friday, saying Guzel was «busted». «Our member of parliament being detained in an unethical way; the government making this into propaganda material using inappropriate and ugly language shows the ruling party's helplessness,» the HDP said in a statement before the court ruling. President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party and its nationalist allies frequently accuse the HDP of being the PKK's political wing.

Thousands of HDP members have been tried in recent years over similar accusations. When you loved this informative article and you would want to receive details regarding Lawyer Turkey i implore you to visit the web site. The party denies any links to terrorism. When the photos first surfaced in January, Guzel said the person was her fiance and the photos were taken when she visited him during a peace process between the Turkish state and the PKK that broke down in 2015. Guzel said the investigation against her, based on material found after the militant was killed in 2017, was not launched until she became a member of parliament a year later. Critics say Turkish courts bend to Erdogan's and his party's will.

The government denies this. The PKK launched an insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984. It is regarded as a terrorist group by Lawyer Turkey, the United States and the European Union. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen Editing by Frances Kerry)

Russian oligarchs welcome in Turkey, foreign minister says

March 26 (Reuters) — Russian oligarchs are welcome in Lawyer Turkey but must abide by international law in order to do any business, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday.Progressive Charlestown: When you got trouble, get a lawyerTurkey has strongly criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine but opposes sanctions imposed by its NATO allies on principle. «If Russian oligarchs… or any Russian citizens want to visit Turkey of course they can,» Cavusoglu said in response to a question at the Doha Forum international conference. «If you mean whether these oligarchs can do any business in Turkey, then of course if it is legal and not against international law, I will consider it,» he said, adding: «If it is against international law then that is another story.» Two superyachts linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich have docked in Turkish resorts. Western governments have targeted Abramovich and several other Russian oligarchs with sanctions as they seek to isolate President Vladimir Putin and his allies over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

(Reporting by Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Alexander Smith)


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Turkish court sentences Erdogan rival to jail with political ban

Istanbul mayor handed 2-year 7-month jail sentence* Imamoglu accused of insulting public officials in speech * He is seen as strong possible contender in 2023 elections * Supporters chant slogans outside municipality HQ (Adds U.S.

State Department comment) By Ali Kucukgocmen ISTANBUL, Dec 14 (Reuters) — A Turkish court sentenced Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu to jail on Wednesday and Lawyer Turkey imposed a political ban on the opposition politician who is seen as a strong potential challenger to President Tayyip Erdogan in elections next year. Imamoglu was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison along with the ban, both of which must be confirmed by an appeals court, for insulting public officials in a speech he made after he won Istanbul's municipal election in 2019. Riot police were stationed outside the courthouse on the Asian side of the city of 17 million people, although Imamoglu continued to work as usual and dismissed the court proceedings. At his municipal headquarters across the Bosphorus on the European side of Istanbul, he told thousands of supporters that the verdict marked a «profound unlawfulness» that «proved that there is no justice in today's Turkey». Voters would respond in presidential and Lawyer Turkey parliamentary elections which are due by next June, he said. The vote could mark the biggest political challenge yet for Erdogan, who is seeking to extend his rule into a third decade in the face of a collapsing currency and rampant inflation which have driven the cost of living for Turks ever higher. A six-party opposition alliance has yet to agree their presidential candidate, and Imamoglu has been mooted as a possible leading challenger to run against Erdogan. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, chairman of Imamoglu's opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said he was cutting short a visit to Germany and returning to Lawyer Turkey in response to what he called a «grave violation of the law and justice». The U. If you beloved this short article and Lawyer Turkey you would like to obtain far more information regarding Lawyer Turkey kindly go to our own web page. S.

State Department is «deeply troubled and disappointed» by the sentence, Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said. «This unjust sentence is inconsistent with respect for human rights, with respect to fundamental freedoms and rule of law,» he added. 'VERY SAD DAY' The European Parliament rapporteur on Turkey, Nacho Sanchez Amor, expressed disbelief at the «inconceivable» verdict. «Justice in #Turkey is in a calamitous state, grossly used for political purposes. Very sad day,» he tweeted. Imamoglu was tried over a speech after Istanbul elections when he said those who annulled the initial vote — in which he narrowly defeated a candidate from Erdogan's AK Party — were «fools».

Imamoglu says that remark was a response to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu for using the same language against him. After the initial results were annulled, he won the re-run vote comfortably, ending the 25-year rule in Turkey's largest city by the AKP and its Islamist predecessors. The outcome of next year's elections is seen hinging on the ability of the CHP and others in opposition to join forces around a single candidate to challenge Erdogan and the AKP, which has governed Turkey since 2002. Erdogan, who also served as Istanbul mayor before rising to dominate Turkish national politics, was briefly jailed in 1999 for reciting a poem that a court ruled was an incitement to religious hatred. Selahattin Demirtas, the jailed former leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), tweeted that Imamoglu should be incarcerated in the same prison where Erdogan was held so that he could ultimately follow his path to the presidency. A jail sentence or Lawyer Turkey political ban on Imamoglu would need to be upheld in appeals courts, potentially extending an outcome to the case beyond the elections date. Critics say Turkish courts bend to Erdogan's will.

The government says the judiciary is independent. «The ruling will be final only after the higher court decides whether to uphold the ruling or not. Under these circumstances, it would be wrong to say that the political ban is in place,» Timucin Koprulu, professor of criminal law at Atilim University in Ankara, told Reuters after the ruling.
(Additional reporting by Ece Toksabay and Huseyin Hayatsever in Ankara, Humeyra Pamuk in Washington and Daren Butler in Istanbul; Writing by Daren Butler and Dominic Evans; Editing by Gareth Jones, William Maclean)

Trump ally's trial to test century-old U.S. law on what makes...

By Luc Cohen NEW YORK, Sept 14 (Reuters) — Tom Barrack, the investor and onetime fundraiser for former U.S.
President Donald Trump, will go on trial next week in a case that will provide a rare test of a century-old law requiring agents for other countries to notify the government. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn say Barrack worked for the United Arab Emirates to influence Trump's campaign and administration between 2016 and 2018 to advance the Middle Eastern country's interests. According to a July 2021 indictment, prosecutors have emails and text messages that show UAE officials gave Barrack input about what to say in television interviews, Lawyer Turkey what then-candidate Trump should say in a 2016 energy policy speech, and who should be appointed ambassador to Abu Dhabi. Prosecutors said neither Barrack, nor his former assistant Matthew Grimes, nor Rashid Al Malik — the person prosecutors identified as an intermediary with UAE officials — told the U. If you liked this article and you would like to get additional details pertaining to Lawyer Turkey kindly visit the site. S.

Attorney General they were acting as UAE agents as required under federal law. Barrack, who chaired Trump's inauguration committee when he took office in January 2017, and Grimes pleaded not guilty. Jury selection in their trial begins on Sept.
19. Al Malik is at large. The federal law in question was passed as part of the 1917 Espionage Act to combat resistance to the World War I draft. Known as the 951 law based on its section of the U.S.

Code, it requires anyone who «agrees to operate within the United States subject to the direction or control of a foreign government» to notify the Attorney General. The law was once mainly used against traditional espionage, but more 951 cases in recent years have — like Barrack's — targeted lobbying and influence operations. But the use of the law in those types of cases has rarely been tested at trial, Lawyer Turkey because most have ended in guilty pleas or remain open because the defendants are overseas. KNOWLEDGE AND INTENT Barrack's lawyers have said the U.S.

State Department, Lawyer Turkey and Trump himself, knew of his contacts with Middle East officials, showing Barrack did not have the intent to be a foreign agent. The lawyers also said Barrack never agreed to represent UAE interests and that his interactions with UAE officials were part of his role running Colony Capital, a private equity firm now known as DigitalBridge Group Inc. But prosecutors have said an agreement to act as an agent «need not be contractual or formalized» to violate section 951. The results of recent 951 trials have been mixed.

In August, a California jury convicted former Twitter Inc employee Ahmad Abouammo of spying for the Saudi government. In 2019, a Virginia jury convicted Bijan Rafiekian, a former director at the U.S. Export-Import Bank, of acting as a Turkish agent.
A judge later overturned that verdict and Lawyer Turkey granted Rafiekian a new trial, saying the evidence suggested he did not intend to be an agent. Prosecutors are appealing that ruling. «What it comes down to is the person's knowledge and intent,» said Barbara McQuade, a University of Michigan law professor who handled foreign agent cases as Detroit's top federal prosecutor from 2010 to 2017.

«That's the tricky part.» Barrack resigned as DigitalBridge's chief executive in 2020 and as its executive chairman in April 2021. The company did not respond to a request for comment. If convicted of the charge in the 951 law, Barrack and Grimes could face up to 10 years in prison, though any sentence would be determined by a judge based on a range of factors.
Convictions on a related conspiracy charge could add five years to their sentences. Barrack potentially faces additional time if convicted on other charges against him. 'SERIOUS SECURITY RISKS' Barrack's trial will focus on allegations that during Trump's presidential transition and the early days of his administration, the UAE and its close ally Saudi Arabia tried to win U.S.

support for their blockade of Gulf rival Qatar and to declare the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. Prosecutors said Barrack also gave UAE officials nonpublic information about potential appointees to Trump administration posts, and made false statements to investigators. Barrack's conduct «presented serious security risks,» prosecutors said. A UAE official said in a statement the country «respects the sovereignty of states and their laws» and has «enduring ties» with the United States. Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a Middle East fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute in Houston, said that while the UAE and Saudi Arabia are U.S.

security partners, Trump's perceived disregard for traditional government processes may have enticed them to establish back channels to advance their interests. «It was in violation of the norms of international diplomacy,» Coates Ulrichsen said.
«If it's proven, it was also a case of actual foreign intervention in U.S. politics.» (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Additional reporting by Ghaida Ghantous and Alexander Cornwell in Dubai; Editing by Amy Stevens and Grant McCool)

Turkish journalist groups slam bill to fight disinformation

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Lawyer Turkey´s parliament on Tuesday began debating a highly controversial draft law the government says is aimed at combating fake news and disinformation, but which critics denounce as yet another attempt to stifle freedom of expression. The 40-article piece of legislation amends multiple laws governing press, advertising and social media.
The most controversial change is an amendment to the press law that would criminalize the spreading of «fake news» with a sentence of up to three years in prison. Critics, including opposition lawmakers and non-governmental organizations, say the law is too vague and could potentially be abused by the government to further crack down on independent journalism, especially media that has developed on the internet.

The government already controls most major news outlets and has been named among the world´s biggest jailers of journalists. Representatives of various Turkish journalists' associations, wearing black face masks, gathered outside parliament in Ankara, urging legislators not to approve the law, which was submitted to parliament in May. «As journalists, in line with our responsibility to society, we once again warn both legislators and the public: If this law is implemented in this form, there will be no freedom of press, expression and communication in our country,» said Kemal Aktas, head of the Parliamentary Correspondents' Association. Main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu claimed in a speech on Tuesday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan´s government, which faces elections in June, introduced the changes to prevent the dissemination of allegations of corruption against the government. In the assembly, some opposition legislators held up posters that read: «No to the censorship law!» «With the government´s proposal, press freedoms and freedom of speech are being eradicated,» said Musavat Dervisoglu, a legislator from the opposition center-right Good Party.

In the event you loved this information as well as you want to receive details concerning Lawyer Turkey generously stop by the web site. «Our citizens are being deprived of their right to information.» «I am curious, for what reason is our country being dragged into George Orwell´s `1984´ dystopia,» he said, in reference to the 1949 novel in which the government controls information. International media freedom organizations have also called for the dismissal of the bill, saying it puts millions of internet users at risk of criminal action for online posts the government disagrees with, could become a tool «for harassing journalists and activists» and could lead to self-censorship. «Disinformation is an important issue and needs to be combated but not at the price of restricting journalists´ rights and the public´s rights of freedom of expression,» the groups, including PEN and the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in June. Article 29 of the bill is an amendment to the Turkish penal code mandating one to three years in prison for spreading information that is «contrary to the truth» about Turkey´s domestic and international security, public order and health for the alleged purpose of causing «public worry, fear and panic.» The sentence can be increased by a half if that crime is committed by an anonymous user or as part of an illegal organization. Erdogan has argued for a law to combat disinformation, saying fake news and rising «digital fascism» is a national and global security issue. The proposal, put forth by his ruling Justice and Development Party and its nationalist ally, says fake news and its dissemination, or disinformation, pose a «serious threat» by preventing people from accessing the truth, while also undermining freedom of expression and information by «abusing certain freedoms.» The proposal also says the internet allows ill-intentioned users to hide their identities for illegal acts and posts such as slander, hate speech and discrimination, therefore requiring regulation. It says the state has the obligation to protect rights and freedoms, especially for people whose rights were violated online. Ahmet Ozdemir, a legislator Lawyer Turkey from Erdogan´s party who helped draft the legislation, rejected accusations that the proposed changes amount to censorship. «No freedom can be without limits,» Ozdemir told parliament.

«We tried to protect freedoms as much as possible by taking precautions to prevent these freedoms from harming other people´s freedoms.» ___ Bilginsoy reported from Istanbul.