Armed with automatic rifles, Turkish authorities raid Gülen-linked schools

An armed police officer stands in guard outside of a prep school in Aksaray. (Photo: Haberdar)
An armed police officer stands in guard outside of a prep school in Aksaray. (Photo: Haberdar)


Date posted: August 4, 2015

Inspectors from six different state bodies have raided several schools and educational facilities linked to the Gülen movement as part of a witch-hunt against the group that has been raging since twin corruption investigations targeting the country’s president and his inner circle.

In central Turkish town of Aksaray, dozens of inspectors, coupled with at least 300 police officers from smuggling and organized crime units, raided schools and prep schools on Tuesday. The raids are part of a nationwide crackdown on institutions and individuals somehow linked to the Gülen movement. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused the Gülen movement of orchestrating the graft investigation against him and his inner circle. Gülen movement denies the charges. Since the allegations were surfaced nearly two years ago, the authorities have only escalated raiding, shutting down or defaming institutions or individuals close to the movement.

On Tuesday, the new target was schools operated by Private Sema Educational Institutions and prep schools of Sabah. Inspectors from Finance Ministry, Firefighting Department, Social Security Institution, Environment and Urban Affairs Ministry, Tax Department and Agriculture Provincial Directorate raided the schools.

The educational facilities have been the subject of repeated raids in the past two years. This time, the institutions’ lawyer Sebahattin Batur said, they “stormed” the schools. He said the schools are always open to inspections and the school officials have been helpful to the inspectors. The Tuesday’s raids, however, are part of a campaign to defame the schools, put pressure on employees and discourage parents to enrol their children just weeks before the school registration period, the lawyer said.

Following the raids, the police detained five suspects and issued an arrest warrant for another on charges of “financially supporting the organization,” referring to the Gülen movement. The suspects are accused of providing financial support to students in need and paying their tuition.

Source: Today's Zaman , August 04, 2015


Related News

Diverging points between AKP and Hizmet movement: Kurdish question

The fundamental difference Popp observed is that while the government has been trying to persuade the PKK to lay down its guns, the Gulen movement goes one step further and works to remove the social and cultural problems that caused the Kurdish problem.

Normalization of Abduction, Torture, and Death in Erdogan’s Turkey

Abductions, forceful disappearances, tortures, and political target killings have always been among the burning human rights violations in Turkey; however, they skyrocketed during Erdogan’s rule and especially after the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

Suspicious deaths, suicides become common occurrence in post-coup Turkey

The number of people who die in suspicious circumstances after being linked to the July 15 coup attempt has been rising with every passing day, a systematic occurrence that is casting a shadow over official statements pointing to suicide. At least 14 people have reportedly committed suicide. The relatives of most of them claim that the detainees are not the kind of people to commit suicide. Rumours also have it that some of the detainees were killed after being subjected to torture under custody.

Pineapple republic!

It would be wonderful if those who refer to the Gülen movement as a terrorist group, label its volunteers as “assassins” or call Gülen a “fake prophet” could see the heartfelt applause the work done by this group [Gülen movement] elicits.

Pakistan submits to Turkey’s ‘authoritarian demands’ on Gulen

Authorities have ordered teachers with alleged links to Turkish cleric Gulen to leave the country as Turkey’s President Erdogan visits Pakistan. Experts say the move is aimed at appeasing Ankara. Pakistani liberal activists say Islamabad should not encourage Erdogan by obliging his government’s unlawful and authoritarian demands. Promotion of secular and democratic values is the only way forward, they say.

Turkey’s purges are hitting its business class

It is not clear when the government will begin auctioning off seized firms. The risk is that the economy may gradually come to resemble Russia’s, where political loyalty is the price for keeping a slice of the pie. “It is like watching a piece of snow roll down a mountain,” says a veteran civil servant ousted in one of the purges. “You think it won’t hit you, until you realise it’s becoming an avalanche.”

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

Fethullah Gulen: ISIL Actions, Disgrace to Faith

Erdoğan distorts Gülen’s NYT op-ed, says it is about Bank Asya operation

Kurdish problem, PKK, AKP, Hizmet movement

Peace Islands Institute hosts iftar in NY

Doctors In Turkey discouraged from writing up reports on abuse, torture

Logistics companies seized over Gülen links sold in fast-track auction

‘All religious groups and communities face great danger’

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News