Though Enes Kanter is best known for his role as the starting center on one of the most illustrious franchises in the NBA, his ongoing fight for justice in his home country of Turkey is well-documented.
Kanter has been at odds with the tyrannical rule of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who has been accused of creating a hostile and torturous environment. Kanter previously had a warrant out for his arrest and his father, Mehmet Kanter was actually arrested but released from custody over a year ago. Now, the elder Kanter is back in troubles with Turkish police, as he has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for “being a member of a terrorist organization” according to Turkey media reports. Following from ESPN’s Ian Begley:
Turkish news outlets are reporting that Enes Kanter's father, Mehmet Kanter, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail by a court in Turkey. “No matter what happens,
I will continue to keep fighting for Human rights and Freedom of speech,” Enes Kanter says in a statement. More: pic.twitter.com/SWPKM9ySJR— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 18, 2018
Enes Kanter has been the primary figure at the forefront of the movement against the current problematic regime taking place in Turkey. Along with the previous warrant out for his arrest, Turkish prosecutors were seeking a four-year prison sentence for the Knicks big man late last year.
Following his father’s indictment, Kanter took to Twitter to post the following video in which he discusses his unrelenting desire to represent the innocent:
I will continue to keep fighting for Human Rights and Freedom of Speech
Justice and Democracy above all.I will stand for what I believe in.All I’m doing is trying to be voice of innocent people
Keep my family,innocent people in your prayers ?#DictatorErdogan ??@RT_Erdogan pic.twitter.com/i7kK3mwKND— Enes Kanter (@Enes_Kanter) June 18, 2018
We’ve seen various examples of massive friction between Kanter’s family and the Turkish government over the past few years and if this most recent sentencing is any indication, the feud seems far from over as Enes Kanter continues his battle for justice.
