Anonymous witnesses fail to identify suspects they earlier tipped off as Gulenist


Date posted: November 10, 2017

An anonymous witness in Denizli failed to identify any of the 145 suspects, earlier accused of being followers of the Gulen movement, during a court hearing on Oct. 30.

The secret witness, called Aslan, told during the court appearance that he doesn’t know the suspects by name but that he is sure about their affiliations to the movement.

“If you tell me all the names, I will tell you the ones that I knew,” Aslan said.

The judge in charge loudly read the names, however Aslan did not remember any of them. The judge asked: “Did you tip off about some names during your statement to the prosecutor, is that right?” and Aslan responded positively.

Another witness, named as Battal, said he knew only two of the suspects. “I have known M.C.P. for long. I have never seen him attending to gatherings by the terrorist organization. And about T.I., I know him as a follower of the F..O who attended their gatherings and volunteered as a host in some events organized by them. I saw him attending to those gatherings for many times,” he said.

145 suspects in Denizli, mostly businessmen, are accused of links to the movement, which the government blames for the July 15, 2016 coup attempt and considers a terrorist organization. 79 of those suspects were remanded in prison pending trial while the remaining are subject to trial without arrest.

The movement denies role in the failed takeover and terror accusations.

Already jailed more than 55,000 people over Gulen links, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier called on citizens to report Gulenists to police whenever they see one. Friends, colleagues and even spouses are reporting each other to law enforcement in Turkey as polarization in the society has intensified since the July 15 coup attempt. In one occasion, a man in a small Aegean district of Turkey turned his girlfriend in to the police, alleging she is a Gülen movement sympathizer, after his proposal of marriage was rejected.

 

 

Source: Turkey Purge , November 2, 2017

Tags: | | |


Related News

Draft law on prep schools

The first adverse effect is related to unemployment. The AKP did not keep its promise to provide jobs at public institutions to all the prep school teachers who are not hired by the new private schools. Only teachers with six years of experience will have the chance of being hired at public schools. Thus, tens of thousands of prep school teachers will definitely lose their jobs since only the large, well-established prep schools can take the financial risks of re-establishing themselves as a new private school.

Gülen interview received high praise from intellectuals, NGOs, politicians

The in-depth interview with Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who has inspired the popular civic and social movement called Hizmet, and was published this week in a five-part series by both Zaman and Today’s Zaman was received well by people from all walks of life including intellectuals, academics, politicians and human rights activists.

Opposition lashes out at terror investigation against Kimse Yok Mu

Opposition deputies have shown strong reactions to a shocking investigation being conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against prominent charity organization Kimse Yok Mu on charges of terrorism, defining the probe as an “oddity of law.”

Abant Platform urges government, protesters to exercise common sense

Turkey’s leading social debate platform Abant has called on both government and protesters to exercise common sense, urging restraint for both sides to avoid violence in nationwide protests that gripped Turkey for more than a week. The Abant Platform expressed its concerns over possible chaos that could follow sometimes mutually violent actions of both sides […]

Turkey targets the Gulen family

Turkish police detained Fethullah Gulen’s brother on Sunday. Fethullah is one of five siblings. He has three brothers – Mesih, Salih, and Kutbettin – and two sisters, Nurhayat and Fazilet. Turkey accuses the preacher of organizing the July 15 coup attempt. His organization denies any involvement in the coup.

Crackdown on journalists leaves void in post-coup Turkey

That is down in large part to the gutting of Turkey’s independent press. More than 115 journalists have been imprisoned and hundreds more fired since the July 15th coup attempt, while 130 media outlets have been shuttered. That, in addition to the sacking of more than 1,000 media workers in the previous 12 months, has left crucial questions unanswered. Put simply, there is no one left – or willing – to overturn the stones on which the failed military takeover was built.

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

Civic engagement, success and the Gülen movement

Scholars: Misconceptions of Islam still abound

Bulgarian student wins Turkish Olympiad song contest final

Pundits: plans to close down Turkish schools abroad arbitrary, political vandalism

US Congress members reaffirm unbreakable bonds with Turks

Turning wedding excess into act of charity

US law professor: Erdoğan’s talk of Gülen extradition ‘foolishness’

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News