Ongoing political raids against schools and businesses are unconstitutional

Reaction has continued to grow against the politically motivated raids targeting private businesses and schools across the country, with new raids hitting eight prep-schools in Mersin province, southern Turkey, on Tuesday morning.
Reaction has continued to grow against the politically motivated raids targeting private businesses and schools across the country, with new raids hitting eight prep-schools in Mersin province, southern Turkey, on Tuesday morning.


Date posted: August 26, 2015

Inspectors from the tax, finance, fire, social security, environment and urbanization, food, agriculture and husbandry bureaus were brought to the school with Smuggling and Organized Crime Police while the students were in session. Such raids have occurred repeatedly across the educational institutions’ branches, along with other schools, on an almost daily basis.

In what has been lambasted as a political motivated attempt to slander and intimidate the institutions, the prep-school officials’ were subjected to questions from the size of a school sign, the color of a door mat, or whether or not their exterminator firm had a license.

Prep-schools belonging to Anafen and Fem have repeatedly been subjected to arbitrary inspections which have found nothing wrong. Notably, these raids are being conducted by the police who are deliberately having individuals file anonymous tips with slanderous claims, even to the Financial Crimes Investigative Board (MASAK).

Legal experts point out that the ongoing targeting of business groups and individuals through such raids, simply over their beliefs or their social affiliations, constitutes clear discrimination, a hate crime and an organized crime, in addition to violating of scores of other laws and rights. These violations include generating false accusations, which carries a prison term of up to three years, as well as attempting to prevent educational activities of a government approved organization through threats.

On Tuesday, Judge Kemal Karanfil took to Facebook condemning the nation-wide raids targeting the schools, calling the measures “a violation of the individual and proprietorship rights and freedoms as outlined by the constitution.” He stated that the raids were reminiscent of “Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Stalin’s Russia and even how Israel is treating Palestinians.” Judge Karanfil elaborated, “Everyone knows by now that these measures are being conducted under the influence of powers who feel they have a vendetta against a section of society… One day the judiciary will be independent and bring those who discriminate and commit hate crimes against a certain section of society to justice.”

“They are attacking the schools image and proprietorship rights,” adds Samanyolu Educational Institutions Lawyer Şaban Yağcı, who emphasized that the raids were deliberately being conducted in an attempt to try to find irregularities that could be used against the schools. “These institutions have been inspected eight times by the Ministry of National Education, Social Security Institution, and the Ministry of Finance. This shows that the raids harbor cruel motives.” Yağcı added that a case will be filed against the governor.

Eskişehir Samanyolu Private Education Institution and FEM prep schools lawyer Selamet Şen expressed that the manner in which the raids were conducted clearly shows that the police are spearheading the operation, another indication of the political motives and attempt to intimidate parents and students. “The Chief of the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime branch are coming to the inspections. If they are coming in for security concerns, they don’t have the right to intervene. I cannot believe that the police have left everything else behind and are solely focusing on harassing educational institutions. We have filed cases, and if the courts rule for no grounds of prosecution, than we will re-file them until the day comes that the rule of law returns to this country.”

Source: BGNNews , August 26, 2015


Related News

Pro-gov’t journalist suggests killing family members of jailed Gülen followers

Journalist Cem Küçük, a staunch supporter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, suggested during a live TV program that Turkish intelligence should kill family members of jailed Gülen followers in order to turn the inmates into operatives for the Erdoğan regime.

Mysteries, and a Crackdown, Persist a Year After a Failed Coup in Turkey

Mr. Erdogan’s own statements have also raised questions about the sequence of events. In an account posted on the president’s website, Mr. Erdogan said he was first warned of unusual military activity at 4:30 p.m. by his brother-in-law. He tried to contact Mr. Fidan and Mr. Akar around 5 p.m., he said but was unable to reach either of them.

Fethullah Gülen’s Message of Condolences and Condemnation of the Terrorist Attack in Istanbul

Fethullah Gülen: I condemn, in the strongest terms, the cruel terrorist attack carried out beside the Istanbul Beşiktaş Football Stadium that cost the lives of 44 of Turkish citizens, the majority of whom are members of the security forces.

International festival of language and culture held in Ulaanbaatar

Organized by the International Turkish Language Association for the second time, the fest introduced cultures of Brazil, China, France, Germany, Japan, Philippines, Turkey and United Kingdom.

Erdogan vows for genocide of Gulen sympathizers: “We will not give them the right to life!”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been waging a relentless war against followers of the faith-based Gülen movement in Turkey for the past several years, has said Gülen movement sympathizers in the country will not enjoy the right to life.

Dismissed policeman detained while applying to post-coup rights commission

I.K., a former deputy police chief in Gaziantep’s Sehitkamil district who was dismissed in the government’s post-coup crackdown, was detained when he visited a local State of Emergency (OHAL) commission in Sivas to reclaim his rights.

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

Rumi Forum chooses solutions to problems for essay contest

Erdoğan officially declares his despotism

Peace Islands Institute Massachusetts Fifth Annual Friendship and Awards Dinner

Turkey’s Maarif Foundation illegally seized German-run school in Ethiopia, says manager

Dozens of US Congress members attend major convention of Turkic Americans

The Fountain 100th Issue Essay Contest

US Unlikely to ‘Speed Up’ Gulen’s Extradition to Turkey

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News