One man, Riza Yaman, traveled from Germany to spend some time at the
camp. “The republican traditions are being compromised and replaced with
religious traditions,” he said.
Mr. Yaman is one of dozens of men and women who have been coming here
for a little more than a year, angry secularists protesting outside a
trial of hundreds of military officers charged with plotting to
overthrow the Islamic-rooted government. The case, which has also
ensnared journalists, academics and others, has come to symbolize
Turkey’s attempt to come to terms with its history of military coups and
state-sponsored assassinations. With its harsh judicial tactics and an
ever-widening net of suspects, the trial has also illuminated concerns
about the accrual of power by Mr. Erdogan and questions about his
commitment to democracy.
This is supposed to be Turkey’s time. The country is a rare haven of
economic growth and political stability in a region in turmoil. It has
been hailed by many across the Arab world as a model for blending faith
and democracy. Elected 10 years ago, Mr. Erdogan is poised to become the
longest-serving prime minister in the history of the Turkish republic
and is planning a 2014 run for the presidency, which he hopes to
refashion from a largely ceremonial post to one with strong executive
powers along the lines of the United States system.
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