User:EchoeeDot5/sandbox

The Turkish Democracy Project is, as they describe themselves, a "non-profit", "non-partisan" policy organization intended to be a reaction to Turkey's alleged "turn-away from democracy towards authoritarianism". Key-figures of this project are Mark D. Wallace, a former diplomat and lawyer who served in several state positions during the administration of the former US-President George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, brother of former US-President George W. Bush, John Bolton, former National Security Advisor of the United States and Norm Roule, a former CIA Agent.

Mission
The Turkish Democracy Project states it aims to encourage Turkey to adopt democratic principles, giving response to the alleged erosion of democratic institutions and human-rights by dialogical and advocatory means. It accuses Turkey of censorship, destabilization of other states, disregarding international laws as well as sovereignty of other states and persecution of minorities.

Criticism
As much as the intentions of this projects may appear good, the project itself was criticized by turkish and non-turkish officials/non-officials, accusing it of being a pre-step for a new coup attempt. The fact that this project was initiated by former US-Officials who served under several US-administration under which many violations of international laws (global surveillance affair, Invasion of Iraq, Invasion of Afghanistan, destabilization of middle eastern states, support of coup plotters, military interventions in Syria, persecution of Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, and so on) happened and still happen, the project itself is rather an irony than a reasonable attempt to change Turkey to a better state.