Dutch police detain second Turkish man for threatening Erdoğan critics


Date posted: September 8, 2016

Dutch police on Wednesday detained a second Turkish man, a supporter of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on suspicion of death threats and hate speech made against Erdoğan critics in the Netherlands.

Rotterdam police detained a 43-year-old Dutchman of Turkish descent who is suspected of having threatened critics of the Turkish president and backers of US-based Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

On Monday, the Dutch police detained a 42-year-old Turkish man on the same charge.

The Turkish government blames Gülen and his supporters for a failed coup on July 15, a charge denied by Gülen.

In a statement on Monday Dutch police said they had investigated 150 complaints related to the aftermath of Turkey’s coup since mid-July, roughly half of them for threats and intimidation appearing on social media.

After Monday’s detention, Dutch prosecutors said more detentions were likely.

Turkey’s post-coup fallout has spilled over into Turkish immigrant neighborhoods in the Netherlands, with lists of purported Gülen supporters circulating on social media, exposing families and schoolchildren to death threats, Reuters reported.

“We aim to de-escalate, but if necessary we will take action,” Reuters quoted Peter Slort, a regional police chief, as saying.

Rotterdam police set up a special team to investigate the threats and claims and had examined 170 complaints as of Wednesday.

After a wave of immigration in the 1960s and 1970s, there are roughly 400-500,000 Dutch Turks. A small minority are known to be Gülen supporters.

Source: Turkish Minute , September 8, 2016

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Turkish School Awarded ‘Ukraine’s Best School’

Simferepol International School opened by Turkish entrepreneurs in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Ukraine has been listed the top school in the list of the country’s best 100 schools. The school, which opened in 2003, will now appear in a catalogue promoting Ukraine’s best 380 schools. A total of 1,881 schools took part in the competition held in nine branches across the country.

Columnist sees Gülen ‘conspiracy’ in ruling against Israel

Presenting the Gülen movement as the architect of the court ruling may help the government deal with a possible backlash from families, the İHH — an outspoken supporter of the government’s Middle East policies — and a wider segment of its own voters who want Israeli officials to pay for the Mavi Marmara raid, in case a reconciliation deal with Israel goes into effect. Internationally, it may help the government deal with Israeli and Western criticism that it is not committed to reconciliation with Israel despite officially vowing that it is.

Turkey’s Economy Suffering Enormous Post-Coup Purges

Since the attempted military coup on July 15, the government, empowered by a state of emergency, has fired or suspended about 125,000 people, of whom nearly 40,000 have been arrested, and tens of thousands of others taken into custody. As a result, roughly 800,000 people have been completely cut off from any economic safety net.

Gülen-linked journalist association warns that movement’s support for gov’t can end

Erdoğan and his supporters have cast the corruption probe as a smear campaign devised by Gülen, who exercises broad, if covert, influence in the media and judiciary through his followers. In response, the government has staged an unprecedented purge of the police forces and has moved to increase its control over the judiciary. Yeşil said that all these allegations were unfounded.

Turkish evidence for Gulen extradition pre-dates coup attempt

Turkey’s request for U.S. extradition of self-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen refers only to his alleged activities before last month’s failed coup attempt, for which the Turks have not yet provided any evidence of his involvement, a senior administration official said.

EU Criticizes Kosovo, Turkey Over Deportation Of Six Erdogan Political Foes

The European Union on April 3 criticized Kosovo’s deportation of six Turks who were political foes of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying it “raised questions” about both Pristina’s and Ankara’s “respect” for human rights.

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

Was prime minister able to convince the EU?

Gülen denies ‘groundless’ Stratfor claims of pressure on AK Party

14th Annual Friendship Dinner and Award Ceremony

Dialogue and Friendship Dinner Unites Multi-Cultural, Faith Groups

Gulen’s peace award: Upswing in Islam’s global image?

Izetbegovic praises Turkish schools and universities abroad

Water Well Constructed in Uganda in Memory of Slain Journalist

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News