History teacher gives birth to her third child in prison


Date posted: June 29, 2017

Under arrest as part of an investigation into the Gulen movement since Nov 3, 2016, history teacher Özlem Meci gave birth to her third child in prison.

A mother of two, Özlem delivered her third child, named Murat, on Feb 15, 2017 but her requests for trial without arrest have remained inconclusive so far.

A former lecturer at a preparatory school established by followers of the movement in Ardahan Özlem was arrested on charge of attempting to demolish constitutional order and of membership to a terrorist organization.

The government accuses of masterminding the July 15, 2016 coup attempt and considers it as a terrorist organization. The group denies both involvement in the failed coup and terror charges.

“As far as I know, it is against our Constitution to keep women in prison after they turn the 6th month in pregnancy,” Özlem told the prosecutor’s office in a letter, dated Nov 23, 2016.

Özlem and Murat have been staying at Aliaga prison in the western province of Izmir.

According to recent data released by the Ministry of Justice, more than 2,250 mothers are held in penal institutions, of whom 520 are obliged to raise their 0 to 6-year-old children in prison.

Source: Turkey Purge , June 29, 2017


Related News

Why is the Gulen movement’s statement on press freedom significant?

BÜLENT KENEŞ As Turkey slows down its democratization and liberalization reforms, and occasionally backpedals on certain reforms, it runs into more serious problems. In particular, the slowdown in the democratization reforms Turkey is supposed to implement within the context of its European Union membership bid results in the deterioration of existing rights and freedoms. The […]

Theologians: Lies, slander and defamation is unislamic

Islamic theologians coming together in a workshop organized by the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) have condemned recent allegations directed at the faith-based Hizmet movement by top government officials, stating that it is unislamic to engage in lies, slander and defamation.

Supreme court calls on AK Party’s Şahin to substantiate claim about Gülen

The Supreme Court of Appeals has asked a senior Justice and Development Party (AK Party) official to hand over any evidence regarding his allegations about US-based Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen amid claims by the official that a judge at the high court had acted contrary to legal procedures and contacted Gülen before issuing his final verdict in a case against a businessman several years ago.

Fethullah Gülen’s Lawyers: Gülen Movement Has No Link With Zarrab Case In US

The lawyers of US-based Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen said on Tuesday that the Gülen movement has no link to the case of Iranian-Turkish businessman Reza Zarrab in the US.

2014: Towards an “Empire of Fear”

The judiciary package paved the way for the detention of all dissidents and the appropriation of their assets. Turkey became an “Empire of Fear” with the arrangements concerning MİT, internal security, reasonable suspicion and the criminal courts of peace.

Halki, pope, patriarch and Gülen

The way Turkey’s chief political Islamist and new president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has approached the reopening of the Halki seminary, a school that had trained Eastern Orthodox clergy for the Patriarchate for more than a century until it was forcibly shut down in 1971, represents a fundamental flaw in the thinking of so-called Islamists, who place more emphasis on symbolism than substance and like very much to employ divisive and hateful discourse as opposed to reaching out and embracing different faiths and cultures.

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

Laotian President Sayasone hosts Turkish school officials

Human Rights Watch Director: This is a political purge… pure and simple!

Enes Kanter calls Turkey’s Erdoğan ‘Hitler of our century’ after airport detainment

In Erdogan regime western-oriented intellectuals, bureaucrats, liberals, Kurds, civil society activists in mortal danger

Islamist daily published profiling story in 2010

US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee: Charges against Gülen not credible

Al Gore’s daughter fasted for the first time for Peace Islands Institute’s iftar dinner

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News