Turkish minister’s leaked email shows trustees to Gulen affliated organizations not appointed by courts


Date posted: September 27, 2016

An email written by Ahmet Özal, son of the late President Turgut Özal, to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son-in-law Berat Albayrak, asking for an appointment as a trustee to a university bearing his father’s name, has revealed that trustee appointments are not made by courts, contrary to what is believed.

As part of an all-out war launched by the government against the faith-based Gülen movement, the government has been appointing trustees to the management of universities, companies and organizations that are thought to be linked to the movement.

Ahmet Özal’s letter is one of the thousands of emails leaked from the email account of Albayrak by RedHack, a Turkish Marxist-Leninist-Maoist computer hacker group. The group threatened to disclose 20 GB of secret information if the Turkish government failed to release Alp Altınörs, deputy co-chairperson of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), and prize-winning novelist and journalist Aslı Erdoğan by Monday, and has made good on its threat.

In the email Ahmet Özal says: “Definitely, trustees will be appointed to Turgut Özal University. … I think the esteemed president will also be happy if I cleanse Turgut Özal University [of Gülen sympathizers] and end the association between that community and my father’s name. I would be very pleased if you could convey this issue to the president [Erdogan] and help me get his support and approval.”

Turgut Özal University, established by Gülen followers, is among the hundreds of educational institutions closed down by government decree in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt on July 15.

The government put the blame for the failed coup on the Gülen movement despite lack of any evidence to that effect.

Source: Turkish Minute , September 27, 2016

Tags: | | |


Related News

Three ministers resign as one urges PM to step down amid corruption probe

Environment and Urban Planning Minister Erdoğan Bayraktar, in a harsh statement, claimed that he had been pressured to submit his own resignation to save the prestige of the government, adding that the prime minister should also quit as most of the amendments on construction plans mentioned in the corruption investigation were made on Erdoğan’s orders.

Hizmet is not a terror group, they embraces the entire human family

I’m saddened to hear that the Hizmet Movement here is being categorized as a terror group. To classify them as terrorists in any form is a great misrepresentation. And I consider it a privilege and an honor to be associated with them and to be part of the brotherhood. They’re a benefit to the Muslim community and humanity as a whole.

Cops vs. robbers [in Turkey]

The high-profile officials — whose involvement in bribery and corruption have been disclosed with much media coverage — and those who protect and abet them do not care about how they will be remembered by future generations. They do not feel ashamed about the positions they adopt, and they shamelessly proceed to give the impression of siding with “robbers” in the cops vs. robbers confrontation.

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.

Toward the ‘Mubarak model’

As Turkey’s all-inclusive civil society organization, the Hizmet movement, which has always advocated human rights and freedom, adopted democracy, worked to make the state more transparent and accountable, supported Turkey’s accession to the EU and its integration into the world, has become a target.

Turkey deserves a civilian constitution – Cemal Yigit

The Ufuk Dialogue Foundation is a platform where Christians and Muslims come together to promote peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding and dialogue, especially between the two religions. This is because we believe that if we come together we can talk the talk and walk the walk.

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

Prof. İzzettin Doğan: Ramadan is opportunity to get to know Islam

Gülen slams pro-gov’t media for disseminating lies and blasphemy

Astana says Gulen-linked schools to remain

Turkish FM calls on Gülen Movement for dialogue to find way out political crisis

Nigerian vice-ambassador demands more Turkish schools in his country

Turkish army profiled Tahşiyeciler as serving al-Qaeda

The Hizmet movement and participatory democracy

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News