Turkey Continues Its Witch Hunt Against Gülen Followers

Photos of the individuals arrested and detained. Source: Turkish Minute.
Photos of the individuals arrested and detained. Source: Turkish Minute.


Date posted: September 3, 2016

MICHAEL VAN DER GALIEN

The purges continue unabated in Turkey. On Friday, 218 individuals were arrested on charges of being members of a terrorist organization. Another 421 were detained.

These arrests and detentions took place more than 6 weeks after the Turkish military staged a failed coup. In the meantime, not only the military officers responsible for the coup have been arrested, but the same goes for many others: people who had absolutely nothing to do with the coup, but who are simply accused of sympathizing with Fethullah Gülen, the Islamic scholar Turkey says masterminded the coup.

In what’s becoming a repetitive story, a host of journalists, lawyers, teachers and civil servants were among those arrested by the authorities.

All in all, more than 41,000 people have been detained in recent weeks, and more than 22,000 individuals were arrested. According to the latest reports, a sum total of 130,000 people have lost their jobs.

Source: PJ Media , SEPTEMBER 3, 2016

Tags: | | |


Related News

Today’s Zaman celebrates 6th anniversary with columnists, editors

Today’s Zaman editors and columnists came together to celebrate the daily’s sixth anniversary at a dinner on Monday night. Some 30 Today’s Zaman columnists and the daily’s editorial staff came together at the Today’s Zaman headquarters in İstanbul for the dinner. “Today’s Zaman has been acknowledged as a reliable source of news and analysis during […]

Humanity prepares its own end, says Assyrian Catholic Church leader Sag

“Dialogue is not an option,” Yesil said, “it is an obligatory way through which we all have to go.” “We both need and have to understand and know each other, love each other and live together.”

Gülen’s attorney: Media speculation about extradition not true

The lawyer of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen said in a statement on Monday that the speculation in the media regarding the extradition of his client is far from the truth and that the extradition request itself is unlawful.

Prime Minister Erdoğan in his second home

Apolitical faith-based movements, represented by the Sufi lodges and the Hizmet movement today, regard Iranian expansionism as a real and imminent threat that needs to be tackled.

Separate state and religion

Turkey needs to face the fact that experience gained over the course of almost a century has shown that the marriage of state and religion is detrimental to both. If Turkey is to ever consolidate a liberal and pluralist kind of democracy, state and religion need to be separated, and freedom for believers and nonbelievers alike has to be secured.

Turkey after the purge: Journalists and judges pay the price

Immediately after the failed coup, the administration published lists of people that Erdogan claimed had participated in the coup. The lists included people from all professions, and journalists were no exception. Turkey now has the highest number of imprisoned journalists in the world, with three times the number jailed as Iran and China.

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

Legislators joined Peace Islands Institute to distribute meat during Eid al-Adha

Islamic scholar Gülen offers condolences to ferry victims

Ergenekon suspect convicted for insulting Gulen

HRW: 6 Turks taken from Kosovo to Turkey face risk of torture and abuse

Moved by Syrian refugees’ woes, U.S. mayors initiate blanket drive

Gülen, Erdoğan’s new agenda item with the West

Colours of the World; IFLC Pakistan grand finale

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News