Lawyer: Gülen will appeal court decision to cancel his green passport

Nurullah Albayrak, the lawyer representing Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, speaks to media in this file photo taken in July, 2014. (Photo: Today's Zaman)
Nurullah Albayrak, the lawyer representing Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, speaks to media in this file photo taken in July, 2014. (Photo: Today's Zaman)


Date posted: January 1, 2015

İZZETTİN ÇİÇEK / ANKARA

Nurullah Albayrak, lawyer for Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, said his client will appeal a Council of State ruling that Gülen’s green passport was obtained illegally.

On Dec. 20, the 10th Chamber of the Council of State repealed a previous verdict by an administrative court in Erzurum province that ruled that the Erzurum Governor’s Office decision to cancel Gülen’s green passport was illegal.

Turkey’s green passport allows the bearer to travel visa-free to certain countries.

Speaking to Today’s Zaman on Sunday, Albayrak noted that per Article 4 of Law No. 5682, which states that certain state officials and retired or resigned public servants are allowed to obtain a green passport after a review of the quality of their service, Gülen’s green passport cannot be cancelled.

“Because the law allows resigned public servants to obtain green passports, the decision [of the Council of State] saying that those who resigned from their positions are not entitled to green passports is not supported by the law,” said Albayrak.

Albayrak noted that Gülen served for 21 years at the the Religious Affairs Directorate and added that, according to the law, public servants who work for at least 10 years can apply for a green passport.

Noting that the legal process regarding Gülen’s green passport has not yet concluded, Albayrak said that Gülen will appeal the Council of State ruling.

Gülen, who resigned from the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) as a religious official and preacher in 1981, obtained the green passport after an application to officials in 1991 following a new law that enabled resigned public servants to acquire green passports.

Source: Today's Zaman , December 28, 2014

Tags: | | |


Related News

BBC Interviews Fethullah Gulen (Powerful but reclusive Turkish cleric)

Tim Franks – BBC Newshour, Pennsylvania – Speaking to the BBC’s Newshour, Fethullah Gulen said: “It is not possible for these judges and prosecutors to receive orders from me.” – Fethullah Gulen has been called Turkey’s second most powerful man. He is also a recluse, who lives in self-imposed exile in the US. – But now, […]

‘If you are against us, you are the other’

Turkey has been witnessing a rigorous debate for the last couple of weeks over the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) vow to finish off the test prep schools, which are a source of both money and influence for its old ally, the Hizmet Movement led by the self-exiled leader, Fethullah Gülen. Like many controversies in Turkey, the issue of closing the courses and integrating them into Turkey’s poorly-established and -organized education system was not only about the prep schools, which was only the tip of the iceberg.

Turkey’s business world weary of gov’t pressure, says Kalkavan

The businessman Kalkavan said that the government’s way of dealing with the corruption allegations has been “incomprehensible,” and that he had difficulty explaining to his foreign associates about recent purges of hundreds of police officers and dozens of investigators.

GYV Declaration: The AKP and Hizmet on democracy

The Hizmet movement’s Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) released a statement on its website on Thursday in which it said it is worried about the profiling of citizens, civic groups and public employees. It demanded that all the legislation that is reminiscent of the old, anti-democratic Turkey must be revised to ensure their full compliance with fundamental rights and freedoms.

Turkish authorities unlawfully arrest woman with twin babies over alleged Gülen links

Turkish authorities yesterday arrested Merve Hande Kayış, the mother of three children including 13-month-old twins, for alleged links to the Gülen movement in violation of the country’s laws.

A major scandal by the Mukhabarat state

The voice recordings of four phone calls made to Fethullah Gülen were posted on the Internet at midnight on Monday. As you know, Gülen lives in the US. Those who phoned him are some executives from institutions established and run by the people who are inspired by the Hizmet movement in Turkey. The calls do not have any incriminating content. Rather, one of these unlawfully wiretapped recordings exposes how the Hizmet movement was targeted in a conspiracy by circles close to the government.

Latest News

After Reunion: A Quiet Transformation Within the Hizmet Movement

Erdogan’s Failed Crusade: The World Rejects His War on Hizmet

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

In Case You Missed It

The role of civil society in Turkey’s democratization

Hate crimes get worse in Turkey

Unscrupulous news reporting by Der Spiegel

Something rotten within the government?

Two additional Turkish schools to open in Casablanca

Conferences on Hizmet movement in Egypt attracted masses

Kimse Yok Mu receives a letter of appreciation from Uganda’s Office of the PM

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News