Turkish police detain 35 lawyers for ‘defending’ Gülen sympathizers


Date posted: March 23, 2017

Turkish police on Thursday detained 35 lawyers who are defending suspects accused of links to the Gülen movement in several ongoing trials.

Arrest warrants were issued for 80 lawyers, and 35 of them were detained in house raids across Turkey.

The arrest warrants target lawyers including those defending imprisoned journalist Hidayet Karaca, the former head of the now-shut-down Samanyolu TV station; exiled businessman Akın İpek; the former chief executive of Bank Asya; and some jailed police officers.

[This latest move against the Gulen sympathizers is a violation of a basic right of the suspects, who are still legally innocent until proven guilty, to defend themselves at the courts. Considering neither the lawyers nor the suspects have access to the indictments, it is clear that Erdogan regime leaves the suspects no room to defend themselves at the courts. (This paragraph added by HN)]

Turkey has been conducting a massive crackdown against real and perceived sympathizers of the Gülen movement that gained momentum particularly after a failed coup on July 15.

 

Source: Turkish Minute , March 23, 2017

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Bad temper

Things are not going well in this country, which is governed by the interpersonal relations of nepotism. The relatives of ruling party figures are praised and offered important positions. Lies, slanders, insults, threats and blackmailing…

Islamic scholar Gülen rejects involvement with graft probe and wiretappings

“If among those who conducted the graft investigations were some people who might be connected to the Hizmet movement, was I supposed to tell these people, ‘Turn a blind eye to the corruption charges?’ It appears to me that some people were expecting me to do this. Did they expect me to do this? How can I say something that would ruin my afterlife? How else can I act?” Fethullah Gülen said.

Police waiting at hospital to detain İzmir woman after childbirth

Police are waiting at an İzmir hospital to detain Gülçin Çetinel, a Turkish woman who gave birth to her first baby early on Thursday, over alleged links to Turkey’s Gülen group.

‘Ankara no longer producing laws compatible with EU norms’

When it comes to how Europe sees Erdoğan’s claims and the demonization of the Gülen movement, European Commission officials clearly told Turkish officials, including Çavuşoğlu, that the AKP’s demonization of the Gülen movement seems like an effort by the ruling party to cover up the corruption investigation, because there is no other way to explain why prosecutors and police who have been investigating a major corruption [scandal] were removed.

Woman says she miscarried baby due to stress under police custody

A Turkish woman, whose identity remains anonymous, has said in a recent video recording that she miscarried her baby due to the stress she experienced under custody.

Coup plotter or moderate religious leader? Finnish State TV Yle meets Turkey’s most wanted man

“The future is in God’s hands. People who believe in our cause will continue our work. The world feels sympathy for our movement,” says Gulen.

Latest News

Sacramento leaders gather for Iftar dinner in celebration of Ramadan

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

In Case You Missed It

Journalists and Writers Foundation gathers all colors of Turkey at iftar

Hate crimes get worse in Turkey

Erdoğan Jails Hundreds of Babies in Paranoid Purge

Kalashnikov-carrying police raid Gülen-inspired private and prep schools based on ‘reasonable suspicion’

Gülen movement can serve as bridge between Islamic and secular nations, intellectuals agree

Former US diplomat: War on Turkish schools in Africa ruining Turkey’s credibility

Panel Discussion – The Gulen Schools In Central Asia

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News