Gülen’s lawyer files lawsuit over unlawful police probe into Hizmet


Date posted: July 11, 2014

ISTANBUL
Nurullah Albayrak, lawyer for Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, has filed a lawsuit against a police chief who issued a written order to 30 provinces to launch a sweeping campaign into the faith-based Hizmet movement on what Albayrak says are trumped-up charges.

The order was dated June 25 but was only covered by the media as of Sunday. It was drafted by Turgut Aslan, the head of the National Police Department’s Counterterrorism Unit (TEM).

Speaking to the media after lodging a petition with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Albayrak said those who contributed to the unlawful probe into the Hizmet movement should be held accountable. Aslan issued the order after Ankara Prosecutor Serdar Coşkun launched an investigation into the Hizmet movement.

In the order, which includes 23 articles, Aslan claimed — without providing any evidence — that Hizmet seeks to overthrow the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government and seize control of the state by destroying the constitutional order. The TEM head asked officials at police departments of 30 provinces to contribute to an ongoing investigation launched against the Hizmet movement by the Anti-constitutional Crimes Investigation Bureau at the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Ankara. He also asked the officials to inquire about members of Hizmet in their provinces to see if they are at all armed.

Albayrak also said he will demand that the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) investigate prosecutor Coşkun, who sought the police’s help in what observers say was a heavy crackdown by the government on the faith-based movement through fabricated charges.

As part of the investigation, the prosecutor asked the police to find out what the “parallel structure” — a reference to the Hizmet movement — is exactly, who the members are, what the objectives of this group are, how it is organized and what its human and financial resources are. Prosecutor Coşkun also asked the Anti-smuggling and Organized Crime Bureau to cooperate with the Ankara Police Department’s Counterterrorism Unit to find out if the Hizmet movement is an armed group and if it can be considered a terrorist organization.

Albayrak asserted that the order is an illegal one and that it lacks any solid legal ground. “Who gave this illegal order? Who carried it out? I filed a lawsuit against the Counterterrorism Unit for its part in this unlawful probe,” he said.

Source: Todays Zaman , July 9, 2013


Related News

Fethullah Gulen: Killing of Russian envoy ‘heinous act’

U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen on Monday condemned the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey as a “heinous act of terror” and urged the Turkish government to identify anyone who aided the gunman.

Pro-gov’t daily sets up hotline for informing on Gülen followers in EU

The pro-government Sabah daily’s Europe edition, Sabah Avrupa, has set up a telephone line for its readers to report followers of the faith-based Gülen movement, against which Turkish authorities launched a witch hunt over its alleged involvement in a failed coup last summer.

Parents seek TL 40,000 in damages for violation of students’ educational rights

Parents İsmail and Seval Topçuoğlu are seeking TL 40,000 in damages from the Education Ministry for violating students’ educational rights by adopting a new regulation about dershanes (prep schools), claiming it aims to bypass a top court’s ruling to annul a controversial law to close down the schools.

Students of Fatih Schools take first place in LYS and TEOG exams

Students of the Fatih Schools network — which are inspired by the faith-based Gülen movement — popularly known as the Hizmet movement — were the top scorers in both the Transition from Primary to Secondary Education (TEOG) exams taken from Nov. 26-27 and April 29-30 and the Undergraduate Placement Examination (LYS).

[Event of the Week] Gülen breaks his silence, responds to allegations

Having stayed largely silent in the face of relentless attacks amounting to hate speech by beleaguered Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was incriminated in a massive corruption scandal, Fethullah Gülen spoke to Today’s Zaman and provided his account of how he sees the recent events in Turkey in his first interview with the Turkish media since Dec. 17.

Erdoğan’s game plan for Hizmet

Erdogan may continue to demonize and even to try to criminalize the Hizmet movement in an effort to brainwash his people into believing that he is the only one who can save the nation. We will see if this brings him the additional votes he needs to be elected president.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Filipino businessman grateful for Turkish schools

‘First, account for the shirt you are wearing’

Why is the Gulen movement’s statement on press freedom significant?

International Women’s Day Message from Fethullah Gülen

Is the Hizmet movement statist or populist?

Latin American firms seek Turkey investments at TUSKON meet

Who is Fethullah Gulen? (by National Catholic Reporter)

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News