American basketball player NBAPLAYERENESKANTER EnesKanterFreedomposes at the United Nations Office in Geneva on April 5, 2022. FREEDOMSHARES | FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images THECOSTOF HISHUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY BYRYANFOLEY speakthetruth,”hevowed. KanterFreedomtoldCPthathis CommunistPartywillgethim commentonsocialmediaand ASHINGTON—NBA blackballedfromtheNBA. subsequentactivism“obviously playerEnesKanter Theathletediscussedhisexilefrom affectedmeandmyfamily.” W Freedomhasopenedup Turkey,hisconcernsaboutthestateof “Mydadwasascientist;hegotfired abouttheconsequencesof religiousfreedomworldwideandhis fromhisjob,"hesaid."Mysisterwent hishumanrightsadvocacy activismagainsttheNBA’s tomedicalschoolforsixyears,butshe andtheimpactsithashadonfamily relationshipwithChinainaninterview still cannotfindajob.Mylittlebrother membersinhisnativeTurkeywhoare withTheChristianPost. wasplayingbasketballinTurkey[and] havingtroublegettingjobsandface BornEnesKanter,the30-year-old justbecauseofthesamelastname,he socialostracizationduetohiscriticism athleteofficiallychangedhisnameto gotkickedoutofeveryteam.” oftheErdoganregime. EnesKanterFreedomwhenhebecame Whilehisfamily“putouta KanterFreedom,aTurkishNBA aUnitedStatescitizenlastyear.While statement”insistingthat“weare playerwhohasbecomeanoutspoken KanterFreedomhasplayedintheNBA disowningEner,”KanterFreedomsaid criticofhisindustry’sbusiness formorethanadecade,hisactivism the“Turkishgovernmentdidn’tbelieve dealingswithChina,wasoneofmany hashadrepercussionsforhisfamily, that.” speakersfromvariousreligionsand whoremaininTurkey. "TheycametomyhouseinTurkey backgroundswhoaddressedthe2022 “Itallstartedbackin2013,”he andtheyraidedthewholehouseand InternationalReligiousFreedom recalled.KanterFreedomaddresseda tookevery[electronicdevice]away: SummitinWashington,D.C.,inlate corruptionscandalimplicatingTurkish phones,computers,laptops,[and] June. PresidentRecepTayyipErdoganina iPadsbecausetheywantedtoseeifI HewastradedtotheHouston postonTwitter.Hewantedtousehis amstillincontactwithmyfamilyor Rocketsearlierthisyearbeforethe platformtoserveas“avoiceforall not,"hesaid. NBAteamcuthimfromtheirroster. thoseinnocentpeoplewhodon’thavea “Theycouldn’tfindalotofevidence Nowafreeagent,somecriticswonder voice,”referringtoinnocentTurks buttheystilltookmydadtojailfora if hishumanrightsadvocacyand imprisonedbyErdogan.“Whateverit while." unfavorableremarksabouttheChinese takes,I’mjustgoingtogooutthereto PressurefromAmericanchurches 26 VOLIII AUG2022