Erdogan revives specter of death penalty in Turkey

ISTANBUL: “What George, Hans or Helga say does not interest us!” roars Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “What counts for us is what Ayse, Murat, Mehmet, Hatice say! What Allah says!”

This mantra – setting common European names against Turkish ones and finally invoking God – has become Erdogan’s standard rhetoric to tell the European Union he does not care about their reaction if Turkey restores the death penalty.