In a startling development, Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has released a photograph of businessman Koray Vural, who was abducted from the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, on September 16, 2023. Vural had been missing for 20 days, and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance had remained a mystery until now.
The released photograph shows Vural with handcuffed hands, and it has been confirmed that he was taken by MİT operatives from Tajikistan. This revelation has raised questions about the treatment he may have endured during his 20-day absence, prompting concerns of possible torture.
Notably, no government institution, including MİT, had provided any information or statement regarding Koray Vural’s whereabouts for the entire 20-day period. The issue was raised in the Turkish Grand National Assembly by Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a Member of Parliament from the Green Left Party, but received no official response.
Background
Koray Vural, a graduate of Tajikistan University’s English Teaching Department, had also completed his doctorate in the same country. Following a stint as a teacher and administrator in Turkish schools in Tajikistan, Vural ventured into business. He was involved in the trade of electrical transformers between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan before becoming the owner of the Özyurt Restaurant.
Vural’s Turkish passport had expired in 2020, and it had not been renewed. He was residing in Tajikistan with the permission of Tajikistan’s President. It is important to note that Koray Vural had applied for resettlement in one of the United Nations-designated safe countries and was awaiting the outcome of his application.
Controversy Surrounding Abductions
Turkey has come under international scrutiny for its practice of abducting individuals affiliated with the Gülen movement from various parts of the world. In the past, MİT has been accused of abducting teachers from regions such as the Balkans, Central Asia, and Africa and bringing them to Turkey, leading to widespread criticism from human rights organizations.
