Memet Ali Alabora on Turkey Election, Refugees and Returning Home

Actor, director and political refugee Memet Ali Alabora spoke to TNM about the Turkish presidential election run-off between incumbent President Erdogan and Opposition Leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. In this exclusive interview, Alabora addresses what an opposition win could mean for Turkey's future and whether he could one day return home.

00:00 On presidential election run-off
00:57 Nationalism and Syrian refugees in Turkey
01:48 Refugees and scapegoats
02:26 Response to the earthquake crisis
03:38 Possible fraud in election
04:42 If Kilicdaroglu wins the presidency
05:28 Could Alabora return to Turkey

Alabora left Turkey in 2013 after supporting the Gezi Park protests against authoritarianism. In 2022, other activists who supported the protests were jailed after a four-and-a-half year trial. Amnesty International have called the prosecution "a chronicle of chilling injustice".

In this interview, Memet addresses a growing tide of Turkish nationalism, which he describes as 'race-based' and driven by the Syrian refugee crisis. Turkey hosts the most Syrian refugees in the world (3.6m according to UN figures). He also spoke of the "rage and anger" in response to the devastation of the Turkey-Syria earthquake. It's believed that poor building standards led to further building collapses and loss of life.

Memet told Freddie that there is "no trust" in the electoral system in Turkey and that he has concerns around whether the election results are fair and legitimate. Finally, he addressed what an opposition win could mean for rebuiliding trust in Turkey, and whether it could allow him to come home and impact the future of the Gezi 7.

Reporter, Producer: Freddie Feltham

Music: Viper - London Hatred (unreleased)
  / londonhatred  

Video and Images: AP, Amnesty International.