Enes Kanter Freedom says he has a $530,000 bounty on his head after being labeled as one of Turkey’s most wanted“terrorists.”
The former NBA player is known for his outspoken criticism of human rights violations worldwide.
Turkey’s Interior Ministry issued its “Terrorist Wanted List,” which included the 30-year-old they say is a member of a terrorist organization, TMZ reported. They are asking for information that will lead to his arrest.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the government put up a reward of 10 million Turkish liras (around $532K U.S. dollars) for anyone who helps put him behind bars. Turkey has been trying to silence Enes for years.
“I’m not the only one. There are so many innocent journalists, academics, athletes, activists, and educators on this list. Now their lives are in danger because of the Turkish government,” Enes said.
Freedom openly criticized Erdogan over the years, calling him a “dictator” and the “Hitler of our century.”
“Because of my platform, whenever I say something, it goes everywhere, and the Turkish government hates that,” Freedom told the NY Post this week. “They’re really sick of it, and they said, ‘Enough is enough,’ and doing whatever they can to shut me up.”
Kanter legally changed his name to Enes Kanter Freedom. He spent 13 seasons in the NBA and became a U.S. citizen in 2021.
Enes is concerned for his safety. “That makes it so dangerous,” Kanter said to the Post.
“Before the bounty, Turkish intelligence was after the people on the list, but now everyone is after them because they want the money.”
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