‘It Must Be a Mistake’: No End in Sight to Turkey’s Global Vendetta

"I called him several times in the evening, but his phone was out of reach," she said. "Finally, my son located his iPhone. We found his car parked with a flat tyre at around 3.20 in the morning. The doors were open. His jacket, glasses and two mobile phones were inside."

Inandi's whereabouts remained a mystery until July 5, when Erdogan announced he had been brought to Turkey "through the genuine and patient work of the Turkish Intelligence Service MIT."

In a photo released by authorities, 53-year-old Inandi looked haggard. He had dark circles under his eyes and was unshaven. His family members noticed he'd lost a considerable amount of weight. He supported his right hand, which was visibly swollen.

"As we all know very well from previous cases, Turkish intelligence agents invent crimes and then force people to admit to them under torture," said Reyhan, as she attempted to explain his injury.

Tens of thousands of people were arrested inside Turkey after the failed coup and some 150,000 civil servants, military personnel and others were sacked or suspended.

But it is the pursuit of alleged Gulen collaborators beyond Turkey's borders that has had a particularly chilling effect on Turks living abroad, shaking trust in states they grew to call home.

Turkish diplomats, organisations close to Ankara and hardline supporters of Erdogan have all played a part, according to victims and observers, and the campaign has been expanded to target Kurds and leftists too.

"I love Kyrgyzstan and its people; I don't regret my 26 years here," said Reyhan. "But I don't want to stay in a place where my husband was left heartbroken."

'Bundled into cars'

More than 250 people died in the July 2016 coup attempt, launched...