Turkish diplomats continue to gather intelligence on critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Germany, Switzerland, and Greece despite repeated warnings from the host countries that Turkey stop spying on their residents, Nordic Monitor reported, citing the secret documents it has obtained.

The illegal information gathering and intrusive surveillance activities conducted by Turkish diplomats posted to Switzerland, Germany and Greece were exposed in 2020 communiqués exchanged between the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the Directorate of General Security (Emniyet), Turkey’s main law enforcement agency. The documents confirm that spying activities by diplomats continue even though such campaigns have caused problems in Turkey’s bilateral ties with these countries.

The people who were targeted by the Turkish government in foreign countries are believed to be affiliated with the Gulen movement, a group that is highly critical of the Erdogan government on a range of issues from pervasive corruption to Turkey’s aiding and abetting of armed jihadist groups.