PRESIDENT ERDOGAN, THE MAFIA AND ME
Turkey, 2021: In a series of YouTube videos, former mafia boss Sedat Peker exposes links between the Erdogan government and organised crime. But suddenly, Peker’s channel falls silent. What forces are at play here?
In spring 2021, in the middle of lockdown, people across Turkey were captivated by a series of YouTube videos. The videos were presented by Sedat Peker, a notorious criminal and former supporter of President Erdogan, who has since fallen out of favour. Broadcasting from exile in Dubai, Peker made some sensational claims against Turkish politicians. In weekly videos, he exposed links between the Erdogan government and the Turkish mafia. He reported on the involvement of senior government figures and state employees in criminal activities and on close ties between government circles and organised crime. The videos were viewed millions of times, growing in popularity each week. Several high-ranking politicians were forced to resign as a result. The tenth video was expected to target Turkish President Erdogan himself. But then, unexpectedly, Sedat Peker’s channel fell silent. Journalist and filmmaker Can Dündar has lived in exile in Germany since 2016 and was himself once the victim of an assassination attempt by Sedat Peker’s henchmen. In this documentary, the investigative journalist examines the allegations and their implications for Turkey today.