Turkey’s development agency spying on Gülen followers in Latin America


Date posted: July 30, 2017

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has been spying on Gulen followers in the Latin American countries, the agency’s local coordinator told media in a recent interview.

TIKA’s Colombia coordinator, Mehmet Özkan has admitted that the agency has been reporting the activities of Gulen movement in the Latin American countries to Turkey and Turkish embassies across the continent.

“TİKA specifically focuses on the social wing of the organization while embassies focus more on the political wing,” Özkan told Anadolu Agency on July 27.

Turkey survived a military coup attempt on July 15 that killed over 240 people and wounded more than a thousand others. After the putsch, the government along with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused the Gülen movement of masterminding the attempt. The movement and Fethullah Gülen, a US-based Islamic scholar whose views inspired the movement, strongly denies involvement.

Turkey has already detained more than 120,000 people over their alleged or real ties to the movement at home before spreading its crackdown to overseas.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier called on foreign governments to punish Gülen followers in their own countries. Meanwhile, A confidential document, leaked on the Internet, dated Sept. 20, 2016, said that Turkey’s state-run directorate for religious affairs, Diyanet asked Turkish missions and religious representatives abroad to profile Gülen movement expatriates living in their respective countries. The spying mostly targeted Europe-based followers of the movement.

 

Source: Turkey Purge , July 30, 2017


Related News

Police, inspectors raid Gülen-inspired schools in Manisa for 3rd time

Police officers and inspectors from 15 government agencies have raided Gülen-inspired private schools in the western province of Manisa for the third time, as part of a government-orchestrated operation targeting the faith-based Gülen movement, popularly known as the Hizmet movement.

Journalists seek asylum in Canada amid Turkish crackdown

Duncan Pike of the Toronto-based Canadian Journalists for Free Expression said the decline of press freedom in Turkey has been a growing concern as the Tayyip Erdogan regime continues to use the coup as a pretext to crack down on opposition critical of his government. “Reporters are stripped of press credentials. Publishing houses are closed down. Authors, journalists, teachers and academics are detained and investigated,” said Pike.

Critical journalist Ilıcak fired from pro-government daily Sabah

Veteran Turkish journalist Nazlı Ilıcak was fired on Wednesday from her long-time post at the Sabah daily over a “disagreement on issues,” according to the pro-government newspaper. Ilıcak argued that Erdoğan had been misled by his advisors, leading to prejudices and suspicions about the Hizmet movement.

WSJ: Turks fleeing Erdogan fuel new influx of refugees to Greece

Around 14,000 people crossed the Evros frontier from January through September of this year according to the Greek police. Around half of them were Turkish citizens. Many are judges, military personnel, civil servants or business people who have fallen under Turkish authorities’ suspicion, had their passports canceled and chosen an illegal route out.

Pro-gov’t journalist proposes torturing jailed Gülen followers to force them to talk

Staunchly pro-government Turkish journalist Cem Küçük has complained about Turkish authorities’ not forcing jailed Gülen movement followers to speak about the group’s activities, suggesting that various kinds of torture could be used to make them talk, the Aktif Haber news website reported. Küçük’s controversial remarks came during a recent segment of “Media Critic” on TGRT […]

‘State of rule of law suspended in Turkey, if not completely eliminated’

I’ve been in the military judiciary for years and I haven’t observed anything like it [“parallel state” in regards to the Hizmet movement], and I haven’t observed it in the civilian judiciary, either.

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

Prominent figures gather together at GYV iftar dinner in Istanbul

Fethullah Gulen on ‘GPS’: Failed Turkey coup looked ‘like a Hollywood movie’

Arrested vet diagnosed with cancer, not allowed for treatment at hospital

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

Criticism rains down on gov’t for insisting on closing prep schools

Turkish Cultural Center In Greenburgh Collects Coats, Blankets For Refugees

Circumcision party gifts will build dorm and water wells in Tanzania

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News