Turkey issues warrant for NBA player’s arrest

The Turkish government on Friday issued a warrant for the arrest of Turkish NBA star Enes Kanter less than a week after the country revoked his passport. 

According to a report by Reuters, Kanter, a center for Oklahoma City Thunder, was named a “fugitive” by a Turkish court for his support of U.S-based exiled Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is seeking Gulen’s extradition for his alleged role in a failed coup last July. Gulen has denied any such involvement.

{mosads}Kanter said last week that the Turkish government was punishing him and canceled his passport for his critical views of Erdogan. He had most recently spoken out against the Turkish leader for a violent clash between his bodyguards and protestors outside the Turkish ambassador’s residency in Washington, D.C. 

Erdogan was in Washington last week, during which he met with President Trump. 

Kanter responded to the arrest on Twitter Friday, saying: “You can’t catch me. Don’t waste your breath. I will come on my own will anyway, to spit on your ugly, hateful faces

Yakalayamazsıııın!!!
Hahaha 
Boşuna yorulmayın.
Hepinizin o çirkin, nefret dolu suratlarınıza tükürmeye zaten kendim geleceğim. pic.twitter.com/hw0LUp4MNo

— Enes Kanter (@Enes_Kanter) May 26, 2017