Witch hunt spreads to courthouse


Date posted: May 13, 2014

ANKARA

The government’s systematic purge of members of the police force after the corruption scandal that became public on Dec. 17, 2013 has now spread to other state institutions, as 200 administrative personnel at the Ankara Courthouse have been reassigned on the grounds that they are members of the “parallel structure.”

Another sweeping purge operation was carried out after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ordered the profiling of people, on the assumption that sympathizers of the Hizmet movement within the bureaucracy are members of this “parallel state,” in his address to Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies in the province of Afyon on Sunday.

In the latest massive purge operation, a number of judges, prosecutors and even those who served tea and coffee were removed from their posts and reassigned to several other provinces of Turkey on the grounds that they have connections to the “parallel structure.”

Ankara Chief Prosecutor Fethi Şimşek’s secretary was among those who were purged. Prosecutor Şimşek had not been informed of the decision in advance, reports said.

Erdoğan’s government is continuing to harass his opponents, especially people and companies affiliated with the Hizmet movement, inspired by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, for their critical stance against the corruption that has implicated senior government officials.

16,000 prosecutors, judges and administrative personnel have been removed from their posts so far in a series of massive purges.

 

Source: Todays Zaman , May 12, 2014


Related News

Police chiefs removed in four provinces across Turkey

The purges are thought to be an attempt to remove those the government believes are members of the Hizmet movement from public sector jobs.

AK Party promises more despotism if it wins big in local polls

Since the Dec. 17 corruption and bribery probe, Prime Minister Erdoğan has threatened to order an “operation” against certain civil society organizations and business groups that have voiced demands for the prime minister and his government to be held accountable in the face of alleged irregularities.

Gulen-linked org’s statement on Turkish Govt’s arrest of pro-Kurdish Parliamentarians

AfSV Statement on Turkish Government’s Arrest of HDP Parliamentarians  Erdogan’s Persecutions Underscore Authoritarian Slide New York (November 9, 2016) – The Alliance for Shared Values is deeply concerned about the arrests of nine members of Turkish Parliament from the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), including the party’s co-chairs Mr. Selahattin Demirtas and Ms. Figen Yuksekdag. […]

The Hizmet movement, social democracy, the religious left

The organizers announced that the conference would on the first day focus on “the Hizmet movement, inspired by the Turkish preacher Fethullah Gülen, which is portrayed by many as an example of modern, ‘enlightened’ Islam, oriented towards dialogue and co-operation rather than conflict.

TUSİAD chairman says does not see ‘parallel structure’ within state

Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD) Chairman Haluk Dinçer has said that he does not see any “parallel structure” within the state as is asserted by pro-government circles, adding that discharging some police officers on accusations of illegal wiretapping does not prove the existence of such a structure.

Police raid prominent journalists’ foundation GYV in Turkey

GYV’s members strongly protested the police measure. Underlining that the raid violated standard protocol, high-ranking GYV official Recep Usta expressed; “the protocol states that VGM technical teams can come to the building and conduct examinations; and should they find any violation, a period of a month is granted to us [to fix any issues].

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Hira Magazine Brings Together Arab Scholars in Istanbul

Rule of law casualty of AKP-Gulen conflict

What are The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune after?

Science Fair at PakTurk school

Turkish charities wrap up preparations for upcoming Eid al-Adha

Kurdish theologian: Gülen’s ideas best antidote to ISIL

Hakan Yavuz: Der Spiegel’s inflammatory, biased journalism on Turkey story shocked me

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News