[VIDEO] Businessman detained while on way to escape to Greece

A Kayseri-based businessman, identified as I.C., was detained near the Turkey-Greece border in Edirne, reportedly on his way to escape the government’s post-coup crackdown.

I.C. was rounded up in Edirne’s Kesan district, 100 meters away from the border, with a fake ID found on him, on March 22.

An arrest warrant was issued for I.C. earlier this month on charges of membership to the Gulen movement, the media said.

A security footage released by the media on March 26 showed that I.C. hops in his car allegedly upon the information that police raided his workplace.

I.C. was seen driving his car out of the scene when a police officer jumping on the car’s hood to stop him.

The police office fell out of the hood when I.C’s car hit a minivan at the gate during his escape. The police officer survived the crash with injuries, media said.

I.C. managed to escape the raid, however he was caught some 20 days later on March 22.

Thousands of people have fled Turkey due to a massive witch-hunt launched by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government against sympathizers of the Gülen movement in the wake of a failed coup attempt on July 15. The government accuses the movement of masterminding the coup while the latter denies any involvement.

More than 150,000 people have been detained and some 60,000 including academics, judges, doctors, teachers, lawyers, students, policemen and many from different backgrounds have been put in pre-trial detention since last summer.

Many tried to escape Turkey illegally, as the government has cancelled thousands of passports.

On Feb 13, at least three people died and five others remain missing after a boat carrying a group of eight capsized in the Evros River while seeking to escape a post-coup crackdown in Turkey.