Enes Kanter is not one to hold his tongue for anyone, especially when it comes to human rights issues.
He has openly and fearlessly criticized Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, calling him a dictator despite the threats to his life. In response, the Turkish government revoked Kanter’s passport in 2017 while he was traveling, leaving him trapped in Romania. He was eventually able to get to London and then back to the United States.
Since that time, Kanter hasn’t refused to travel internationally out of fear for his life.
Yet that hasn’t deterred him from speaking out against human rights violations and dictatorships.
On Wednesday he did it again, this time taking aim at China’s leader, Xi Jinping, calling him a “brutal dictator” on social media.
Kanter throttled the Chinese government and their president for their attempts to eradicate Tibetan identity and culture.
“I say, ‘Shame on the Chinese government,’” said Kanter, who was wearing a Dalai Lama t-shirt. “The Chinese dictatorship is erasing Tibetan identity and culture.”
Continue reading over at First and Pen.
This content has been brought to you by First and Pen in partnership with TheHub.News. First and Pen “amplifies local sports stories from voices of color to the national conscience…”