Politically motivated police raid of kindergarten in west Turkey

Police raided institutions belonging to Yamanlar Educational Institutions in Turkey’s western province İzmir, including a raid of a kindergarten, early Tuesday morning. The politically motivated raids involved officers combing through school and seizing computers in an effort to find “evidence.”
Police raided institutions belonging to Yamanlar Educational Institutions in Turkey’s western province İzmir, including a raid of a kindergarten, early Tuesday morning. The politically motivated raids involved officers combing through school and seizing computers in an effort to find “evidence.”


Date posted: August 19, 2015

The witch hunt against the opponents of the government continues and is growing. In another instance of a government-orchestrated operation targeting the faith-based Gülen movement, popularly known as the Hizmet movement, the police along with inspectors conducted raids around 6 am on Tuesday at dozens of institutions owned by the Yamanlar Educational Institutions, which was established by volunteers of the movement in the western province of İzmir.

Along with inspectors, police also raided Yumurcak Dünyası kindergarten, which was for children aged 4-5.

Police carried out search in the building and houses of the principals and accountant of the institutions. The politically motivated raids involved officers combing through school and seizing computers in an effort to find “evidence.”

Police have detained nine people during the raids and the searches at the institutions still continue.

Parents were shocked after the raids against the educational institutions. Seher Sarıaslan, whose children studying at the Karşıyaka Yamanlar Elementary School, said: “While our soldiers die day by day in the country, conducting raids against one of the successful schools in the country is just surprising. I am so sad. It’s a just witch hunt operation.”

Speaking to the press, Mustafa Doğanlı, the lawyer representing the institutions, described the raids against the educational institutions is a travesty of justice. “Police raided the kindergarten, which was for children aged 4-5, at 6 am. Even the inspectors don’t know the reason of the raids. Which kind of crime can be happen here? This is an institution for children aged 4-5.”

The Yamanlar Education Institutions are known for their success both in the national high school and university entrance examinations and international Olympics.

The raids are part of a nationwide crackdown on institutions and individuals sympathetic to the Gülen movement. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused the Gülen movement of orchestrating a graft investigation against him and his inner circle. The Gülen movement denies the charges. Since the allegations surfaced nearly two years ago, the authorities have escalated raids, shutting down or defaming institutions or individuals close to the movement.

Source: BGNNews , August 18, 2015


Related News

Şifa University rector says gov’t move to shut down hospitals won’t affect education

İzmir-based Şifa University Rector Professor Mehmet Ateş has said a recent decision by the İzmir Governor’s Office to shut down the university’s additional outpatient polyclinics in the province will not affect education at the university’s main campus.

Are the Turkish Leader Erdogan’s Claims of Terrorist Coup Plotting to Be Believed?

It is hard to find a parallel for what has transpired in Turkey since last month’s failed coup without making comparison with the Nuremburg decrees of 1935 that legally ostracized Germany’s Jews and people of Jewish ancestry. Yet Nazi anti-Semitism had a clear and straight-forward rationale, while the popular furor in Turkey over the Hizmet bears the flavor of a personal grudge match between two one-time friends. No ideology. Just down and dirty, no holds barred.

Turkish authorities issue warning to Samanyolu TV for ‘biased’ broadcasts

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has issued a warning over news program “Derin Bakış” (Deep Glance), which is broadcast on Samanyolu News TV, on the grounds that the program is “biased,” only a week after it penalized Bugün TV for the same reason.

Civil death: Amnesty report on social upheaval caused by Turkey’s purge of public servants

“Tainted as ‘terrorists’ and stripped of their livelihoods, a large swathe of people in Turkey are no longer able to continue in their careers and have had alternative employment opportunities blocked,” Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s researcher on Turkey.

KADİP’s 1st international photography contest held for peace

The Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADİP) of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) announced the winners of its very first international photography contest, “Peace in the frame,” at a gala on Tuesday night at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in İstanbul.

Gülen’s lawyer appeals arrest warrant

Nurullah Albayrak, the lawyer of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, has appealed the decision of the İstanbul 1st Penal Court of Peace to issue an arrest warrant for Gülen, citing illegality.

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

An ‘impossible’ choice: Leave 5-year-old son in foster care or risk being tortured

Georgia refuses refugee status to detained ‘Gülen school manager’

Turks and Egyptians tight-knit at Turkish Olympiads Egypt Finals

Turkish opposition deputy: Women jailed with children are treated like enemies

Gülen says arms, swords have no place in Hizmet’s philosophy

Pained by the tragedy, Izmir doctor moves to Somalia

The Peace Islands Institute of New Jersey Awards Recognize Excellence

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News