Wife of arrested teacher: I was offered to lie about others in exchange for my husband’s release

Neslihan Taşyürek. (Photo: Today's Zaman)
Neslihan Taşyürek. (Photo: Today's Zaman)


Date posted: July 28, 2015

The wife of one of the teachers detained in a government-led operation against people deemed to be affiliated with a civil society organization demonized by the ruling party was asked to provide false testimony against those in custody in exchange for having her husband released.

On Thursday, the İzmir Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit raided more than 15 houses and shops belonging to locals thought to be close to the Gülen movement, a faith-based initiative also known as the Hizmet movement.

For the duration of the searches, only police officers were allowed inside the buildings, while computers, hard disks, flash drives, cellphones, CDs and DVDs were seized.

Eighteen of the 22 who were taken into custody were released on Sunday. Akif Hikmet Taşyürek, a computer science teacher, was arrested alongside three small business owners.

However, Taşyürek’s wife, Neslihan, told Today’s Zaman that during her husband’s detainment she was called by an anonymous number where the caller offered to have her husband released in return for false testimony concerning the others detained.

Underlining that her husband had done nothing wrong, she said: “They detained my husband, while thieves and rapists roam free. I know that my husband has done nothing wrong. I am proud of him.”

Those detained were accused of granting financial support to and being members of the Gülen movement, inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, which President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his associates within the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) claim instigated a corruption probe that went public on Dec. 17, 2013, incriminating four former Cabinet ministers, businessmen with close ties to the government, senior bureaucrats and family members of the then-prime minister as part of an effort to overthrow the government.

Friday’s police raid was made legal by a controversial law passed in December 2014 allowing authorities to detain anyone about whom there is “reasonable suspicion” — rather than tangible evidence — of involvement in a crime. With the new law, the threshold for the burden of proof required to obtain a search warrant and detain suspects was reduced.

The AK Party has targeted people thought to be close to the Gülen movement in a series of operations since December 2013. Almost all of those detained have subsequently been released after a few days because the authorities failed to provide evidence proving that they had been involved in criminal activity.

Erdoğan claims the Gülen movement tried and failed to carry out a coup attempt against him and his government in December 2013 and has waged a self-declared war against the movement, even going so far as to say, “If reassigning [public-sector workers] who betray this country is called a witch hunt, then yes, we will carry out this witch hunt,” during a speech at an AK Party conference in 2014.

Source: Today's Zaman


Related News

Turkey’s AKP planning to blame Hizmet movement for Deep State’s crimes

Online government whistleblower Fuat Avni has claimed that the government is concocting a plan to blame the clandestine assassinations of the ‘deep state’ and the violent domestic acts planned by the National Intelligence Agency (MİT) on the Hizmet movement.

AK Party deputy Hakan Şükür against closure of prep schools

Former national team captain and current Justice and Development Party (AK Party) İstanbul deputy Hakan Şükür, referring to the government’s plan to shut down prep schools, has said it was wrong to vote “yes” on their closure before a process is carried out which eliminates the need for the schools.

Belgium firm to sue Turkey over Gülen-linked assets

A Belgian company, Cascade Investments NV, has launched an $80 million arbitration claim against Turkey in the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ISCID).

Turkey detainees tortured, raped after failed coup, rights group says

Jason Hanna and Tim Hume Captured military officers raped by police, hundreds of soldiers beaten, some detainees denied food and water and access to lawyers for days. These are the grim conditions that many of the thousands who were arrested in Turkey face in the aftermath of a recent failed coup, witnesses tell Amnesty International. […]

Turkish minister’s leaked email shows trustees to Gulen affliated organizations not appointed by courts

In the email Ahmet Özal says: “Definitely, trustees will be appointed to Turgut Özal University. … I think the esteemed president will also be happy if I cleanse Turgut Özal University [of Gülen sympathizers] and end the association between that community and my father’s name. I would be very pleased if you could convey this issue to the president [Erdogan] and help me get his support and approval.”

Wedding gifts will help build dorm and water wells in Tanzania

Ubeyd and Nurefşan Yeşil donated the gifts presented at their wedding to the Hizmet in Tanzania. Almost $40,000 value donation will be used in the construction of a college dormitory and water wells.

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

UK Clears Gulenists Of Turkey’s ‘Coup’ Accusations

Book Review: Faith, Theology and Service in Peacebuilding

Turkish charity announces cooperation with German counterpart

Davud Hanci’s wife says Calgary imam detained in Turkey ‘a very peaceful man’

‘Parallel’ lies won’t patch giant tear, Gülen tells government

Today’s Zaman journalist faces deportation [from Turkey] over critical tweets on government

Defying Odds, Afghan Girl Gets Top Grades for University Entrance Exams

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News