Erdogan opponents fear reprisals in Netherlands

Dutch-Turks who oppose Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan are worried about reprisals in the Netherlands. This is because Turkish media sources are portraying them as complicit in the diplomatic fallout between Turkey and the Netherlands over the weekend, Trouw reports.

A number of Dutch-Turks known to support Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, instead of Erdogan, have been mentioned by name and had their photos published in the Turkish government newspaper Sabah, according to the newspaper. They are accused of participating in fascism in the Netherlands.

Gulen is seen as Erdogan's main rival. The Turkish government blames Gulen and his supporters for a failed military coup in Turkey last year.

Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb's statement that he gave police officers permission to shoot if the bodyguards of Turkish Minister Sayan Kaya drew their weapons at the Turkish consulate in the city on Saturday night, is also causing a stir in Turkish media.