Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter and Sen. Ed Markey teamed up to denounce Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as he prepares to visit the White House, blasting the leader as targeting Kanter and his own people.
Kanter and Markey were introducing legislation Tuesday that would officially condemn Erdogan. Kanter, who was raised in Turkey, is an outspoken critic of the Turkish president and his passport was revoked in 2017 a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
“We’re here to say don’t in any way try to harm Enes, but also don’t harm anyone in your own country as well,” Markey said at a press conference.
But Kanter said the problem was greater than anything he faces.
“It’s bigger than myself, bigger than the NBA, bigger than basketball,” Kanter said. “What’s happening in Turkey is a human tragedy, because all those people out there are just getting tortured and raped and suffering.”
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