US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4117

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004117 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP ALSO FOR INL, DRL EUR/PGI AND EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KCRM, PHUM, KWMN, SMIG, KFRD, PREF, TU, TIP IN TURKEY 
SUBJECT: TIP IN TURKEY:  REACTIONS TO NEW YORK TIMES 
ARTICLE ON TURKEY'S SEX TRADE 
 
 
(U) Classified by Polcounselor John Kunstadter; reasons: 1.4 
(b,d). 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY.  Craig Smith's June 27 New York Times 
article on Slavic women working in Turkey's growing sex trade 
has received mixed reaction in Turkey. END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (U) On June 28 Hurriyet columnist, Kanal D News Director 
and news magazine host Fatih Altayli wrote that he had 
reported on the prostitution scandal many times, but without 
any results.  He said that it used to be small scale, but in 
recent years it has turned into a "slave trade."  He asserted 
that he is not pleased at Turkey's image as a country that 
sells women and hinted of police collusion.  In a column 
dated July 2, he recounted a telephone conversation with a 
reader who said that prostitution could be used as a 
promotion element for Istanbul, much like the Red Light 
District in Amsterdam.  Altayli asked his readers if they 
agreed. 
 
3.  (U) The daily Sabah published a series of reports on June 
30, July 1 and 2.  Zulfikar Ali Aydin recounted his 
experience in the Istanbul area called Aksaray (the center of 
Istanbul prostitution), posing as a customer in one of the 
bars.  Both MFA and IOM were interviewed and provided 
information on the 157 Helpline for trafficked women.  The 
newspaper also published stories of two trafficked women. 
Ergun Babahan, columnist at Sabah, asked if Turkey's 
conscience was clear and called for a "full-fledged war on 
this crime against humanity." 
 
4.  (U) The Russian singing group Spilki recorded a song 
called "You are a Natasha"  (Note:  Prostitutes in Turkey are 
called "Natashas") in response to the treatment they received 
while in Turkey.  Video clips and news reports were aired on 
several news programs after the New York Times article.  One 
of the singers, Varya, in a televised interview, said that 
she had been warned (about Turkey), but that she had not 
expected "that much."  She told papers that she was really 
surprised to see that those in charge of security were 
behaving "the same way" as she had been told. 
 
5.  (SBU) IOM Chief of Mission Marielle Sander-Lindstrom and 
Strategic Consultant Allan Freedman claim that any coverage 
is desirable.  Craig Smith had called Freedman regarding an 
article he was to write on the EU accession process and 
Freedman suggested he write one on prostitution.  Fatih 
Altayli has not returned phone calls from IOM. 
 
6.  (C) Judge Aykut Kilic, Director General of the General 
Directorate of International Law and Foreign Relations at the 
Ministry of Justice, was more concerned with the implication 
of police corruption.  In response to the press, Judge Kilic 
contacted the Istanbul Public Prosecutor asking what action 
has been taken.  He said he was assured that an investigation 
is "underway" in Istanbul.  When we asked him what Trabzon 
and Antalya were doing, he shook his head.  He said that the 
Ministry of Interior had to take administrative action since 
there was an allegation of corruption. 
 
7.  (SBU) MFA 2nd Secretary Ozlem Kural asserted to us that 
Fatih Altayli had wrong information and that her department 
planned to send a letter to him outlining efforts the GOT has 
made.  (Note:  No copy has come to us, meaning that MFA 
probably has not sent one.)  She lamented that the MFA has 
held many press conferences on the issue, but that no one has 
listened so far.  Most people, she said, think that the 
matter is only for the Ministry of Interior.  She was pleased 
that the 157 Helpline has gotten good coverage. 
 
8.  (SBU) Human Resource Development Foundation Chairman 
Turgut Tokus claimed that the press coverage has not been a 
good thing.  The "problem" is not one exclusive to Turkey and 
has been exaggerated.  He stated that media support is 
definitely needed to raise public awareness, but that this 
surge of Turkish press coverage has been for ratings only. 
MCELDOWNEY