Police raid successful Gülen-inspired schools in western Turkey
Date posted: August 18, 2015
Just after another Gülen-inspired school was raided by the police in the southern province of Gaziantep on Monday, private schools established by the volunteers from the Hizmet Movement were raided in the western province of İzmir on Tuesday morning.
The raids took place in the branches of the Yamanlar Education Institutes in several district of the city. The schools are known for their success both in the national highschool and university entrance examinations and international Olympics. Moreover, a kindergarten was also raided in Buca district, reminiscent of the raid at a kindergarten in Zonguldak provice on August 7 in the morning.
Also on Monday, in one of the operations targeting the faith-based Gülen movement, the police along with inspectors from several ministries and institutions conducted raids at eight institutions owned by the Safa Education Institution in Gaziantep on Monday
119 people in Turkey died due to crackdown on Gülen movement in 2019 (430 people died since 2016)
At least 119 people lost their lives in Turkey due to an ongoing government-led crackdown on the Gülen movement. Many people including children have drowned in the waters of the Aegean Sea or the Maritsa River while trying to flee the crackdown.
Persecution of the Gülen Movement in Turkey
The Gülen (a.k.a Hizmet) movement, a faith-based community, has been subject to political persecution for more than two years by the Turkish government since they stood up against corruption and injustice under the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan has publicly called for a “witch hunt,” and arrests, threats, and harassments have now become a routine for participants and sympathizers of the movement.
Pakistan – Staff expelled from Turkish-backed schools on Erdogan’s demand
Amnesty South Asia Director Champa Patel: “With 24 million Pakistani children out of school, Pakistan’s decision to expel teachers from the Pak-Turk International Schools and Colleges will only hurt Pakistan’s children. What the country needs is more classrooms and more teachers, not a politically-motivated decision to purge educators at the behest of the Turkish government.”
African firms signal increased trade at TUSKON meeting
A total of 127 companies from 11 different countries in East Africa are participating in the Gaziantep summit, which started on Feb. 9 and will run until Feb. 12. The Turkish and African businesspeople held roughly 5,000 bilateral business meetings. TUSKON has intensified efforts to help more Turkish firms branch out into promising African markets over the past five years.
EU expresses concern over declaration of Gülen movement as terrorist without due process
Maja Kocijancic, Spokesperson for European Union Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has responded a question by Turkish Minute, stating that the EU notes with concern the decision taken by the Turkish National Security Council (MGK) to include the movement of the U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen on the list of Turkish terrorist organizations.
Importance of Hizmet’s 11-article declaration
As expected, the 11-article declaration by the Journalists and Writers Foundation, of which Fethullah Gülen serves as honorary chair, has attracted attention. The follow-up debates show that this has been remarkably positive and appropriate to prevent disorder.
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
Turkey’s Erdogan attempts to have Gambia close down Turkish schools
Saylorsburg protesters focus on Turkish cleric
Rep. Andy Fleischmann named ” Statesman of the year” by Peace Advocacy Group
Dialogue Platform’s Statement on Developments in Turkey
Fethullah Gulen Condemns Turkish Crackdown on His Supporters
US, Gülen to trigger artificial earthquake(!) in İstanbul, Ankara mayor says
Bias about Gulen Movement in light of The Economist column
