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Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker Denied Entry to the UK
The UK has canceled the electronic travel authorizations of Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker. While the two were expected to attend the SXSW event in London, the Home Office told BBC Turkish that the decision was made based on public interest and potential risk assessment.
The UK has denied entry to US-based political commentators Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker. The two were expected to participate as speakers at the SXSW event held in London.
Following the decision, Uygur and Piker linked the ban to their criticisms of Israel. The UK Home Office told BBC Turkish that the electronic travel authorizations were canceled due to public interest and potential risk assessment.
Highlights
- The Electronic Travel Authorizations of Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker were canceled.
- The two were expected to attend the SXSW event in London.
- The Home Office stated that the decision was based on public interest and potential risk assessment.
- BBC Turkish's report included information about who the two are and similar entry ban decisions by the UK.
Ministry announced the ETA decision
The Electronic Travel Authorization allows some foreigners to visit the United Kingdom for up to six months without a visa. According to BBC Turkish, Uygur and Piker's ETA permits were canceled by UK authorities.
The Home Office stated that an assessment was made that the presence of the two individuals in the UK might not be in the public interest. The statement said the decision was based on an evaluation of the potential risk the person could pose to UK society.
The Ministry did not answer whether the decision was related to comments about Israel. The statement also noted that the two could apply for a visa if they wish to travel to the country.
Uygur and Piker linked the decision to criticisms of Israel
Cenk Uygur announced on his social media account that he was not allowed on the London flight and claimed the decision was made because of his criticisms of Israel.
Hasan Piker also stated that he saw the ban as connected to his statements about Israel. Piker's recent harsh comments on Israel's operations in Gaza had sparked controversy.
SXSW London and political reaction
Labour MP David Taylor had previously called for Piker's speech at SXSW London to be blocked. After the decision, Taylor thanked the Home Secretary and said the event should review its assessment policies.
BBC Turkish's report reminded that the UK also blocked Kanye West's entry in April for similar public interest reasons. It was also reported that West's participation in the Wireless music festival was canceled due to his previous anti-Semitic remarks.
Who is Cenk Uygur?
Born in Istanbul in 1970, Cenk Uygur is a Turkish-American media executive and political commentator. He emigrated to the US with his family at the age of eight, studied at Wharton and Columbia Law School, and worked as a lawyer for a while.
Uygur transitioned to a media career by launching The Young Turks program in 2002. The program gradually became a large digital news platform centered on YouTube; the TYT channel has millions of subscribers.
Throughout his media career, Uygur hosted shows on channels like MSNBC and Current TV and appeared as a political commentator on many platforms including CNN. He has also been active politically, participating in the founding of the Justice Democrats movement in 2017.
Uygur announced his candidacy for the US House of Representatives in 2020 but was not elected. His 2023 announcement to run for US presidency sparked legal debates due to the natural-born citizenship requirement.
Who is Hasan Piker?
Hasan Piker is a political commentator who identifies as a socialist and holds both US and Turkish citizenship. Known as HasanAbi on social media, Piker has about 10 million followers across various platforms.
Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1991, Piker grew up in Turkey. He graduated from Rutgers University with a double major in political science and communications.
Piker sharply criticizes US domestic and foreign policy in live streams from his home in Los Angeles. While frequently targeted by commentators supporting the Republican Party and Trump administration, some factions within the Democratic Party argue that Piker is influential among young and libertarian audiences.
Piker's recent comments on Israel's operations in Gaza have sparked controversy. BBC Turkish's report emphasized that the Ministry did not respond to whether the UK entry decision was related to these comments.
Context: The UK's decision brought not only the two individuals' SXSW program but also discussions on freedom of expression, public interest assessment, and border enforcement policies toward political commentators to the forefront.
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