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Metin Cihan, excellent investigator and whistle blower, continues to scrounge around in the email of Berat Albayrak, Erdoğan’s son-in law and former minister of the economy, dismissed at the end of November 2020 : he had posted a simple message on his Instagram account at the time…
These emails are a treasure trove with inestimable nuggets. Embezzlement, corruption, misappropriations…As a reminder on September 2016, Berat Albayrak, already Erdogan’s son-in-law and his Minister of Energy to boot, saw the content of his email hacked by the RedHack who claimed in exchange “the liberation of all leftist opponents, before 5 PM on September 27 2016”. Beyond this delay, the group published more than 5 000 messages in the 20Go file copied by them and now publicly available on Wikileaks, under the title “Berat’s Box”.
Here, Metin Cihan invites us to share a few chosen excerpts;
“A mini series in four episodes filled with suspense and tension: a career story”…
Synopsis
We are in 2015. The saga begins with an email from Elif Yetim, a young woman belonging to the caste engendered by Erdogan. She begins her rise, as do thousands of other youths benefiting from pulled strings: the “AKP children”.
With a diploma from the religious lycee Imam Hatip, Elif posts her plaque naming her the “2nd in the school” as proof of her “success” under the nose of Berat Albayrak, still a minister-to-be at the time, but already a son-in-law… She asks him for a job as a senior executive in the Turkish Airlines Anonymous Society, and considers this her “natural right”…
The rest of the “exchanges” give matter for reflection.
Episode 1
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 12-07-2015
Subject:Almost all the newly appointed people are from here but none had a success such as this one. Under these conditions, in the restructuration, responsibility & duty are rights flowing to me naturally. Is this not so?
Image: Plaque from the Imam Hatif school in Kartal, dated June 22 1999 for the second place of those receiving diplomas in 1998–1999 “I congratulate Elif Yetim and implore the great Allah for the pursuit of her successes in health and happiness.” Signature of Abdullah Sarımermer, President of the School Association.
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 31-07-2015
Subject:Happy Holy Friday from the volunteer guardian of the Turkish Airlines Anonymous Society 🙌 😃
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 30-09-2015
Subject:You should have brought me along to the UN meeting, as the representative of THY. 😇 😇 😇 😇
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 06.11–2015
Subject:Is there really no way to work without thinking about the title and the rank, if we could create a shinergy1. 😲 😲 😲 😲
May Allah give me the possibility of being among people like that, InchAllah!
From: Berat Albayrak
To: Elif Can Yetim
Date: 06-11-2015
Subject : Re:If you find people like that, let me know…
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 07.11–2015
Subject:Big brother,
I don’t want to wait any longer. I’m going to request the required interviews, then I will take a decision.
What do you think about this?
From: Berat Albayrak
To: Elif Can Yetim
Date: 07-11-2015
Subject: Re:Don’t rush…
We’ll talk about it…
2nd Episode
We saw in episode 1 how requests and flattery reach the royal court. Let’s continue…
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 24.11–2015
Subject:😃 I’ve just heard that YOU ARE NOW a Minister 👍 🙌 👏 👏 👏 👏 Hurray! Tonight will be party time.
😃 Infinite thanks to Allah 🙌 🙌 🙌 🙌
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 4-12-2015
Subject:Hey, big brother, uh, my dear Minister 👏 👏 👏 👏 💐 💐 💐 😇 😇 😇 Happy Holy Friday!
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 28-12-2015
Subject:Why doesn’t anyone say Elif YETIM is one of ours, we know her, will we do something with her?
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 29-12-2015
Subject:Am I wrong in what I write????
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 29-12-2015
Subject:I’m waiting for an answer????
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 01-01-2016
Subject:Big brother, I’m waiting for an answer! I’m coming to Ankara on Monday!!!!
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 01-01-2016
Subject:To obtain what is mine by right, I have to come!!!
Ok???
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 01-01-2016
Subject:I’m coming to Ankara on Monday, right???
From: Berat Albayrak
To: Elif Can Yetim
Date: 02-01-2016
Subject: Re:What’s the problem? Send me the details.
I’ll speak with Mister Ilker.
3rd Episode
The requests and sollicitations, the pulled strings, still nothing works out.
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 03-01-2016
Subject:Note 1: The one who is nominated is from lycée Imam Hatif in Kartal (Istanbul neighborhood). I receive no support from colleagues. There is not a single person whose office I can enter to drink his tea, his coffee. On the the contrary, they take the attitude ‘you are not my interlocutor.’
Note 2: On this road beginning with the job of director, I will always need your full support!
Note 3: In the next phase, Elif YETIM is also a candidate for positions above the directorate. Everyone must know this, that I aspire to the highest position, in order to place THY S.A. in safe hands for the next 5 years.
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 05-01-2016
Subject:Big brother, I’ve just received a call from the Board of directors. The lady said we wanted to know if you were in your office. I think they will call me back today…
I will let you know before going over.
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 14-01-2016
Subject:I have my interview with the President of the Board of Directors tomorrow at 11!!!!
From: Berat Albayrak
To: Elif Can Yetim
Date: 01-02-2016
Subject:Go to the interview, first, you will talk about it face to face over there. If it doesn’t come through this week either, we’ll talk and see what to do.
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 09-02-2016
Subject:We wait, big brother?
From: Berat Albayrak
To: Elif Can Yetim
Date: 09-02-2016
Subject: Re:Patience…
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 12-02-2016
Subject:They’ve announced the appointments. I’m not among them. The names have changed for the directorates I mentioned.
Once again, I didn’t understand a thing????
Episode 4
But following an intervention…
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 17-03-2016
Subject:My big brotherrrrr,
Thanks to you, we have accomplished my first promotion. I am filled with an odd feeling of serenity.
🤗
You effort is great.
I thank you very much.
Image: We wish to announce the recent nomination decided by our executive committe: Mrs. Elif Yetim, a specialist in Strategic planning and investments, was named Director of the Data Analysis and Reports section.
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 29-03-2016
Subject:On the road to Washington… May Allah go with you and help you!!!
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 19-04-2016
Subject:Oy, what did I see this morning on my door
🙃 😃
Image: Director – Data and reports Analysis
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 10-05-2016
Subject:Big brother,
I’m looking for engineer analysts. I wanted you to know. If there are people, let them come and we’ll do the interviews right away. 🙃In today’s Turkey, with a bankrupt economy, with massive unemployment, with the unemployed committing suicide, those with diplomas leaving the country, corruption follows its merry way.
This series of emails, chosen at random, show how the royal court effect is prevalent in the AKP and the corridors of power and how small and big centers of power call the shots, fabricating lackeys and indebted ones. A common feature in the antechambers of totalitarian powers.
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 24-05-2016
Subject:Dear big brother, I wish with all my heart that the great God will Bring you the greatest of successes.
From: Berat Albayrak
To: Elif Can Yetim
Date: 13-06-2016
Subject: Re: Tableau Conference LondresQue Allah t’aide et fasse en sorte que tu réussisses Inch’allah.
From: Elif Can Yetim
To: Berat Albayrak
Date: 21-09-2016
Subject:This shows I take Beautiful photos.
Image: Photo taken during a flight.
In today’s Turkey, in a bankrupt economy, with mass unemployment, unemployed people committing suicide, graduates leaving the country, corruption is rampant.
This series of emails, chosen at random, show how the royal court effect is prevalent in the AKP and the corridors of power and how small and big centers of power call the shots, fabricating lackeys and indebted ones. A common feature in the antechambers of totalitarian powers.
Translation by Renée Lucie Bourges
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