Visually impaired journalist sent to prison over Gülen links


Date posted: July 10, 2017

Visually impaired Turkish journalist Cüneyt Arat was sent to prison late on Monday due to his alleged links to the Gülen movement, which the Turkish government accuses of masterminding a coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

According to several tweets posted by a friend of the disabled journalist, when Arat learned that a prison sentence that was handed down on Feb. 22, approved by an upper court on Sunday, he turned himself in to the police later the same day.

Arat was sentenced on Feb. 22 to 6 years 3 months in prison due to his alleged links to the Gülen movement. He was also given one year, 10 months and 15 days jail time for promoting a “terrorist” organization.

“I was given 6 years, 3 months over movement membership. I was also given 1 year, 10months and 15 days for [Gülen] propaganda. I am acquitted of coup involvement accusations.” Arat said in tweets he posted in February.

In a related case, Arat was also arrested on July 21, 2016, for social media posts that allegedly praise the Gülen movement. The disabled journalist has been under house arrest wearing an electronic ankle bracelet since then.

Source: Turkey Purge , July 10, 2017


Related News

Dangerous and unnecessary tension

MARKAR ESAYAN Turkey has been experiencing heated tension over the prep school issue for a while. And unfortunately, the discussion was taken out of the educational context and has become a political issue. The Taraf daily, in its recent reports and with the official documents it published, argued that the Justice and Development Party (AK […]

Children from all over the world embarked on Turkish voyage

Around 22 years ago, Fethullah Gülen said, “The day will come when you will no longer fit into the stadiums.” In fact, it turned out to be true. The Turkish Olympiad, which began in 2003 with young people from 17 different countries, has grown to the point that this year we hosted 2,000 students from 140 countries. The Olympiad came to an end in Istanbul with a magnificent final ceremony.

Journalist: I was threatened over not supporting government

Seasoned journalist Cüneyt Özdemir has said he was threatened by two members of pro-government media outlets and pressured to jump on the bandwagon by lashing out at the Hizmet movement and hosting a commentator who Özdemir said is a staunch supporter of conspiracy theories.

The Coup Attempt – Turkey’s Reichstag Fire

Once forces loyal to Turkish President Erdogan had put the attempted takeover down, he called the coup attempt “a gift from God” because it provided an excuse to crack down on competitors and opponents. Using enemies lists prepared well in advance, his purges have touched more than 100,000 and sparked widespread conspiracies among Turks that the July 15 coup was Turkey’s equivalent of the Reichstag fire.

Hizmet movement and Kurdish question in Turkey

Through educational projects, the Hizmet movement helped to alter the social fabric of Turkish people who consciously or otherwise supported the institutional resistance of state and governmental bodies. Through dialogue and face-to-face encounters, Turkish people have had the chance to experience and feel the grievances of their Kurdish brothers and sisters and listen to their stories.

Is the Hizmet movement resisting normalization?

Accusing the Hizmet movement, which insistently demands the fulfillment of the steps towards democratization which I referred to above and contributes to the process of change as evidenced by its stance in the referendum, of serving as a parallel structure indirectly means: “I will not change myself and introduce universal reforms. You have to live with this painful fact for the normalization of the country and take your steps accordingly.”

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

Rounding up the ISIS collaborators, in Turkey and Kurdistan

Talking with the “Religious Terrorist” that Turkey Wants Trump to Extradite

Canadian institute honors Kimse Yok Mu

Abant Platform convenes to discuss problems of Turkish education system

Turkish Government Imprisons One More Mother With Her Baby Over Links To Gülen Movement

Rumi Forum bestows Peace and Dialogue Awards

Turkey’s Internet watchdog blocks access to website broadcasting Gülen’s speeches

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News