Protesters try to resist the advance of riot police in Gezi park in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, June 15, 2013. (Photo credit: AP/Vadim Ghirda)
WASHINGTON — Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), a co-chairman of the Congressional caucus on Turkey, pressed the Turkish foreign minister on reports of anti-Semitism and human rights abuses in his country.
Cohen said he asked Ahmet Davutoglu, when the caucus met Monday with a Turkish delegation, about reports of a surge of anti-Semitism, and about the repression of dissent in Turkey.
“Just met w/Turkish delegation,” Cohen said in a Twitter post attached to a photo and a New York Times story detailing allegations of repression of dissent. “Made sure to ask about #humanrights & #antisemitism in #Turkey.”
In an interview Tuesday, Cohen said Davutoglu denied both phenomena, saying that Jews still felt comfortable in Turkey.
“That was good to hear, but hard to believe,” Cohen told JTA.
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Cohen, who has Turkish Jewish ancestry, has been a leading member of a caucus that successive Turkish governments have valued for advancing Turkish interests in Washington.
“I don’t think it hurts among friends – and I consider the Turks friends – to bring up issues of concern,” Cohen said.
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