Erdogan's modern Turkey

The story of how Turkish mobster Sedat Peker, former ally to President Erdogan, had fallen out with the regime is complex. It is one of many instances where the ruling Justice and Development party’s quest for absolute power in Turkey has alienated many of those once close to it.

Things began earlier this year when Peker, a reputed crime boss and fugitive, has released videos slamming the government for corruption and failings. The revelations have included stories of drug-trafficking linked directly to the top layers of government.

On May 23 one report in a new YouTube video noted that the mafia boss has continued making allegations against people close to the government, placing Former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim’s son is at the center of his drug trafficking allegation.

In his videos last week Peker took on the ex-interior minister Mehmet Agar. He alleged that Mr. Agar was linked to the murder of two prominent journalists, Turkish Cypriot journalist Kutlu Adali in 1996 and Ugur Mumcu, an investigative journalist for Cumhuriyet daily in 1993.

In the latest video on Sunday, Peker accused the country’s leadership of conspiring with a pro-government paramilitary force to divert aid intended for the Turkish minority in Syria, to extremist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

The ruling Party began with targeting secular and left-wing protesters. After crushing the Gezi Park demonstrations, the party set its sights on destroying the Kurdish HDP opposition, using two elections in 2015 to provoke the end of the ceasefire with the militant PKK.

Turkey’s regime used a coup attempt in 2016 to purge some 200,000 people, taking control of the judiciary, academics and other parts of society.

Turkey became the largest jailer of journalists. Mass trials of political opponents began, with HDP members jailed, 60 HDP mayors dismissed, generals accused of various plots, police purged, and students and LGBT activists called terrorists.