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Eren Erdem (born 14 August 1986) is a Turkish writer and politician from the Republican People's Party (CHP), who has served as a Member of Parliament for İstanbul since 7June 2015.
Biography
Eren Erdem was born in Fatih, İstanbul on 14 August 1986 to Hasan Erdem and his wife Hüsniye. He completed his primary and secondary education in İstanbul. During his youth, he worked as an auxiliary staff to make extra money. He wrote eight books:
- Gayya Karanlığından Kur’an Aydınlığına, Abdestli Kapitalizm
- Nurjuvazi
- Şeytan Evliyaları
- Selman-ı Pak
- İslam ve Kapitalizm
- Riya Tabirleri, Devrim Ayetleri
Erdem was elected as a Republican People's Party (CHP) Member of Parliament for Istanbul in the June 2015 general election. He was re-elected in November 2015. He is married with one child and can speak English at a fluent level.
Erdem leaked a number of documents from Turkish government surveillance of ISIL-members. The documents are said to show detailed information about activities and locations of ISIL-members, but also a lack of action on part of the Turkish government. Erdem has alleged a cover-up by the Turkish government, which is implicated in having poor control of the Turkish-Syrian border. Erdem also claims that sarin-gas was transported through Turkey to Syria, later used in the Ghouta chemical attack in 2013, as well as later ISIL-attacks against civilians. Erdem showed before the parliament a case where investigations leading to the arrest of 13 potential Turkish ISIL-members were made, but later inexplicably dropped. The leaks are also said to implicate that Erdogan's immediate family in his son-in-law made financial gain through oil-deals with ISIL-members.
The material was released through an interview with the English-language Russian news-service Russia Today, and has been said to promote Russian anti-AK Party and anti-Erdogan sentiment. Erdem faces treason charges in Turkey for his leaks. A trial was also directed to two journalists who reported on the story, but it has since been dropped. The prosecution has been seen as a leg in President Erdogan's crackdown on dissent.