86-year-old man in 11th month of his arrest on coup charges


Date posted: July 2, 2017

Ali Osman Karahan, an 86-year-old Turkish man with walking and speaking difficulties has been kept in an Isparta prison for almost 12 months over alleged links to Turkey’s Gülen group, which Turkish authorities accuse of being behind a failed coup attempt in July of last year.

A video footage, posted by Karahan’s grandson on Twitter, shows the moment a police officer in plain clothes walks Karahan into a building where he will be testifying before a judge.

Karahan is accused of “being a member of the Gülen group.”

According to the grandson’s tweets, Karahan was arrested by an Isparta court after the failed coup and was sent to a prison in Isparta’s Yalvaç district.

Karahan has advanced-stage prostate cancer and has only one kidney.

Turkey experienced a military coup attempt on July 15 that killed over 240 people and wounded more than a thousand others. Immediately after the putsch, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government along with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pinned the blame on the Gülen movement.

The movement denies any involvement. However, the Turkish gov’t initiated a widespread purge aimed at cleansing sympathizers of the movement from within state institutions, dehumanizing its popular figures and putting them in custody.

In the currently ongoing post-coup purge, over 135,000 people, including thousands within the military, have been purged due to their real or alleged connection to the Gülen movement, according to a statement by the labor minister on Jan. 10. As of March 1, 93,248 people were being held without charge, with an additional 46,274 in pre-trial detention.

A total of 7,316 academics were dismissed, and 4,070 judges and prosecutors were purged over alleged coup involvement or terrorist links.

Source: Turkey Purge , June 30, 2017


Related News

Daily publishes evidence of ‘color lists’ used to recruit public sector employees

The Taraf daily published a document on Wednesday in supports of its allegations that the government recruits public sector employees using “color lists” to avoid people affiliated with groups such as the Hizmet movement.

The Gülen Factor: Erdogan, the Coup, and the United States

Engaged in his dirty spate of housecleaning under the auspices of protecting the constitution and the Turkish state, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to insist on one vital scalp in his enterprise.

History teacher gives birth to her third child in prison

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

Parents seeking urgent Release of School Principle Fatih Keskin

“As parents, as we are concerned about the way the principal of this school is treated, and we expect information on the further development of the situation regarding the treatment of the principal,” parents stated, adding that they request to be informed on the reasons for the arrest as soon as possible.

Academics, civil society call for freer, more diverse universities in new law

BURAK KILIÇ / HASAN KARALI, İSTANBUL Participants of a meeting hosted by the Zaman daily have called on the Higher Education Board (YÖK) to grant universities broader freedoms instead of the existing centralized structure under a new YÖK Law. The current YÖK Law is considered outdated and carries traces of former coups as it was […]

Ruling AKP officials downplay tension with Gülen movement

The tension between the government and Gülen’s movement (also known as the “Community,” “Cemaat” in Turkish, or “Service,” “Hizmet” in English) has escalated after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced plans to abolish private examination prep schools, many of which were financed and run by Gülen’s followers. The tension has recently peaked, with Erdoğan describing the group’s objection to his government’s plans as “a smear campaign.”

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Archbishop Makgoba: Turkey’s religious tolerance answer to extremism

Hate speech creates new opportunities for Hizmet movement

Turkey’s Erdogan attempts to have Gambia close down Turkish schools

Guinean MFA: Our People Fond of Turkish Schools

Fethullah Gulen expresses sorrow for deadly Connecticut shooting

Filipino student wins prestigious Turkish Olympiad song contest

Japanese students assist Syrian refugees in Turkey

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News