Ahmed Katie, a Syrian activist and businessman known for advocating for Syrian refugees in Turkey, has been arrested by a Turkish court on charges of espionage for the French intelligence agency, DGSE.
The allegations, according to Middle east Eye, claim Katie was engaged in disseminating “false” information about Turkey’s treatment of Syrian refugees and its immigration policies to French officials, purportedly to undermine Turkey’s position in Europe. Katie, who has been a vocal critic of the Syrian regime and a refugee in Turkey for nearly a decade, was taken into custody in mid-December after being missing for over two weeks.
Despite his contributions to the Syrian diaspora community in Turkey, Katie sought asylum in France due to growing anti-refugee sentiments in Turkey, fearing for his and his family’s safety.
His lawyer, Halim Yilmaz, has denied the espionage charges and plans to contest them in court. Katie’s arrest and the charges against him have raised concerns about the targeting of human rights activists and refugees in Turkey, especially those connected to foreign organizations.
The US Recovered Over $600 Million in ISIS-Linked Funds – They Should Go to Syrian and Iraqi Victims
JustSecurity.org reports the recovery of over $600 million in ISIS-linked funds by the United States, suggesting that these funds should be directed to the victims of ISIS and ANF (Al-Nusrah Front) in Syria and Iraq.
This recommendation comes in the context of a federal lawsuit filed by over 400 Yazidi Americans against the French cement company Lafarge S.A. and its Syrian subsidiary for allegedly aiding ISIS and ANF.
The article highlights the historical plea agreement with Lafarge, where the company admitted to providing material support to terrorism and agreed to pay a significant fine and forfeiture. Despite this, the direct compensation to victims from such proceedings remains complex and limited, raising questions about how best to utilize seized assets to benefit victims of terrorism.
The authors advocate for the U.S. Department of Justice to use its discretion to allocate a portion of the forfeited funds to non-U.S. victims of ISIS and ANF, emphasizing the need for a transparent and victim-centered approach to asset forfeiture linked to atrocity crimes.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
