Political raids targeting educational institutions a ‘hate crime’

Lawyers representing the private Samanyolu Educational Institution and the FEM prep schools in Eskişehir province to take repeated political raids against the establishment to court, underlining that the measures constitute to a “hate crime.”
Lawyers representing the private Samanyolu Educational Institution and the FEM prep schools in Eskişehir province to take repeated political raids against the establishment to court, underlining that the measures constitute to a “hate crime.”


Date posted: August 6, 2015

Last week, police from the Eskişehir Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Unit accompanied by officials and inspectors from eight institutions—including tax auditors from the Finance Ministry, and inspectors from the Social Security Institution (SGK), Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, and the Ministry of Agriculture and the Fire Department—stormed eight establishments operated by the two institutions, including a student dormitory.

Controversy and outrage has grown over the targeting of scores of educational institutions across the country founded by the followers and sympathizers Hizmet movement, inspired by Islamic Preacher Fethullah Gülen.

Samanyolu Education Foundation’s Lawyer Selamet Şen has stated that the measures constitute to nothing more than a hate crime and discrimination, underlining that the institutions are both open for inspections which they have passed with flying colors.

“The institutions and their business interests are being targeted simply over the political and philosophical views of their founders and supporters,” stated Şen, elaborating on the element of intimidation in the raids. The institutions have been frequently audited in the past few months with no wrong-doing found. “I do not understand what concern would prompt eight institutions, featuring three schools, a dormitory and four prep-schools, to be rigorously inspected by three buses filled with inspectors from eight different inspectors.”

Lawyer Şen also stated that the officials have failed to present any documentation in the inspections, adding that the legal team of the institutions have discovered that the orders for the raid were given by the Eskişehir Governor’s Office and the National Police Force.

Expressing that the legal team will file a criminal complaint to the prosecutor’s office, the lawyer added “There will come a day that the powers behind this will be brought to justice. When that day comes we will file another criminal complaint. These crimes will not exceed the statute of limitations.”

The private Burç High School in the Çukurova district of southern province of Adana, was also subjected to a second raid in less than 4 months by the police, accompanied by officials from eight state bodies on Wednesday.

Source: BGNNews , August 5, 2015


Related News

AK Party, Hizmet movement and politics

İHSAN YILMAZ  August 31, 2012 I have written repeatedly about the relationship between the Hizmet movement (aka Gulen movement) and politics here. Unfortunately, it still needs some more discussion. As is well known, Hizmet never associates itself with political parties. It is a volunteer movement that appeals to individuals from all sorts of social, cultural, […]

An Ideal, Dynamic, Democratic Education

Pierre Montandon, the Honorary Professor of University of Geneva, is a retired ear, nose and throat doctor… I had met him nearly four years ago in Istanbul. He was then going to Mongolia to analyze Turkish high schools. Then, he also saw the schools in Kazakhstan, now he is trying to tell these observations and […]

In Turkey, how Germany’s president became ‘Germany’s imam’

The Gulen movement is primarily a civil society organization, consisting of thousands of teachers, academics, journalists, businessmen and charitable workers. A political attack against their legitimate services and institutions would be disastrous for rule of law and societal peace, both of which have already been seriously compromised in Turkey.

One wounded in armed attack on university preparation course

22 April 2012 / TODAYSZAMAN.COM A private institution that offers weekend and evening courses to assist students in preparing for national exams, was attacked by an unidentified person with a Kalashnikov rifle in the southeastern province of Şırnak on Saturday, leaving a security guard wounded. The attack took place at Şırnak’s FEM Dershanesi around 10 p.m., […]

Can the EU be blamed for Erdoğan’s authoritarianism?

It may be speculated that the EU’s resistance to Turkey’s European integration has to a certain extent played a role in Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s slide into authoritarianism. If the EU had consistently backed its accession process, Ankara may have consolidated democracy and rule of law, so that such a concentration of power could have been avoided.

Biden in Turkey: Holding the Line on Human Rights

This week, Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Turkey to meet with President Erdogan and Prime Minister Yildirim. This is one of the last opportunities for the Obama Administration to emphasize face-to-face how important it is to honor human rights and rule of law in the wake of the attempted coup of July 15.

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

Gülen movement as creative and civil movement

Kimse Yok Mu to send aid for Syrian refugees with 50 TIRs

Ex-AK Party delegate slams persecution of Hizmet movement

Peacebuilders Conference

Government allegedly plots to blame Bingöl attacks on Hizmet movement

Gülen’s lawyer denies allegation of plot against Erdoğan’s daughter, calls it ’immoral slander’

Turkish ambassador draws ire as she implies Gülen-affiliated schools in Macedonia raise terrorists

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News