U.S. Suspends Visa Services in Turkey, and Turkey Responds in Kind

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U.S. Suspends Visa Services in Turkey, and Turkey Responds in Kind 8, 2017 ISTANBUL — The United States said on Sunday that it was suspending nonimmigrant visa services at its diplomatic facilities in Turkey after the arrest of a consulate employee, prompting Turkey to halt visa services in America. Last week, the Turkish authorities arrested a United States Consulate employee of Turkish nationality over alleged links to the network of the United States-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the Turkish government blames for last summer’s failed coup. The employee, Metin Topuz, is accused of espionage and attempting to overthrow the Turkish government and constitution. Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency reported that he was accused of communicating with former police chiefs in a 2013 corruption inquiry, 121 people involved in the attempted coup and hundreds of people using an encrypted mobile messaging app. A brawl during a visit by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey to Washington in May led to the indictment of 19 people, including 15 Turkish security officials. The American statement said the suspension of nonimmigrant visa services was effective immediately to minimize visitor numbers to the United States Embassy and Consulate for now. The suspended services will affect visas for business people, tourists, medical patients, students, journalists and treaty trader, as well as diplomatic and official visas.