Time for a reality check for ISNA conventioneers – coup attempt in Turkey


Date posted: September 4, 2016

Scott C. Alexander

Time for a reality check. This weekend many ISNA conventioneers are attending “panels” in which the so-called “Turkish delegation” will continue to attempt to justify the immoral and thoroughly un-Islamic persecution of countless innocent Muslim men and women in Turkey and around the world. While these conventioneers politely applaud the representatives of a regime which is attempting to destroy the lives of many of their fellow Turkish American Muslims right here in the US, here is just one example of what’s happening back in Turkey…

“I am Serap Aşık. I am a teacher in the Afyon district of Turkey. I am in a desperate situation so please help me. On the night of August 25 2016 at around 12am [the police] come to my door shouting “We have a search warrant and detain warrant for Ahmet Aşık (My husband)!” Everybody in the apartment heard the noises. Then rush through our home and they did not even read the prosecutor’s written warrant because the name on the warrant was wrong, it was for a person named Ömer Işık. When I pointed out that the name was wrong, they said it is just a typo and then continued screaming at us. I requested them not to shout since I had a child which I did not want him to be scared. I checked my son seeing my child is ok; I go back to bedroom where the police handcuffed my husband from his back and screaming at him. They did not even allow him to sit. They searched the house while doing so they treated us so badly, in disgrace. After they realized that we have a car they also searched the car, however while searching they make everybody around to know that they are there; shouting, making noises. Meanwhile my husband was standing there with his pajamas on. After searching for the car they let him wear his clothes. They asked me where I work, which I reply that I am working in public school. They said we are going to come back for you soon.

With despair I said “I seek the justice of Allah for those who did this to us,” one police officer heard me and shouted at me “Why don’t you damn the coup plotters, FETO?” I replied of course I have no hesitation about damning coup plotters. I asserted that that we don’t have anything with the coup attempt we did not even know why they come to our house in the first place. I continued saying every government institution should investigate the coup plot and those who have nothing to do with the coup d’état would be able to return to their jobs. I said that we were sure we will be cleared from all investigations because we had nothing they are looking for; even we did not have books of Fethullah Gülen. They said that my husband may be cleared from institutional investigation but for sure he is not going to get away from this investigation.

While handcuffed behind his back he is dragged into police car and they took him to the police station. For 4 days I could not see him and they did not give us any information. At the 4th day, they allowed me to bring some clothes but they kept me at an interrogation room and asked me questions about my husband, threatened me about giving my name to the authorities so that I will be kicked out of my job as teacher as well. Then before bringing my husband to the room they threatened me once again “If you open your mouth and speak any word to your husband we will take you in custody too under the same investigation !” My husband had scars and bruises all around his face he begged them not to go back to detention room. “Give me 50 years in prison but please don’t take me back there” he said.

Police said “if you want to save your husband make him tell us everything he knows”. When we meet there were 4 police officers right beside us constantly threatening and shouting “tell, tell”.

I could not find any attorney; everybody that asked did not want to accept the case. Bar Association will assign an attorney 6 days later. I am in total despair, please help me and help me urgently. I have nobody to ask for help.” – Serap Aşık AFYONKARAHISAR

Source: Facebook , September 3, 2016


Related News

Turkey’s Crackdown Extends to Taipei

Burhan Cikili is an academic and vice-chair of the Formosa institute. The organization, which has a plush office on the 21st floor of a central Taipei office building, is something of a local think-tank linking Taiwan and Turkey. It holds conferences, seminars and lectures, and collaborates with local universities and institutions. It says it is mainly funded by local Taiwanese and Turkish businesspeople.

TÜBİTAK scolded for hiding olympiad winners were from Hizmet schools

The president and members of the government have scolded the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) for not revealing that the majority of medal winners at two recent scholastic olympiad events were students from schools affiliated with the Hizmet movement, the Taraf daily reported on Tuesday.

Turkey in 2014: Not too bright [Witch-hunt against Gulen Movement expected]

As I have written before, if there are bureaucrats who misuse their authority to serve the interest of the Gülen Movement, or any other entity, the government certainly has the right to fire them and bring them to justice. However, what Dilipak describes is a much larger scale witch-hunt, which can only violate many civil liberties and raise the tension in society to new heights.

‘Inception,’ the Gülen community and the PKK

Kurtuluş Tayiz I have been following anti-Fethullah Gülen broadcasts in the Kurdish media for some time now. Television stations, newspapers and Internet sites known for their closeness to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have incessantly been spreading hostility amongst its readers against Gülen. It wouldn’t be so difficult to understand if most of these publications […]

Turkey: Alarming Deterioration of Rights – Coup Attempt No Justification for Crackdown on Peaceful Critics

The government misused terrorism laws against followers of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, whom the government accuses of masterminding the July coup attempt, The mass arrests and removal of safeguards against detainee abuse led to rising reports of torture and other ill-treatment in custody.

Smear campaign against Gülen fails after new details emerge on eavesdropping

The defamation campaign against the Gülen or Hizmet movement, which the Turkish president and his political Islamist Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government accuse of illegally wiretapping government officials, collapsed after it became clear that foreign security and intelligence agencies were involved in eavesdropping on senior Turkish officials.

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

Turkish Olympiads – A Blessing from God

‘Selam’ – story of teachers in Turkish schools abroad to hit movie theaters in March

Turkish Cultural Center Vermont opened it doors at a ceremony held in Burlington

Fethullah Gulen: Bridge Between Islam And The West

Romanian gov’t congratulates Turkish schools for international achievements

Dialogue Institute provides insight in Kansas City area on Turkey

“1915” by Prof. Ihsan Yilmaz (1)

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News