Letter campaign launched for Turkey’s imprisoned women, mothers


Date posted: February 7, 2018

An initiative called Set Them Free has launched a letter campaign to show solidarity with women in jail and mothers who are incarcerated with their children.

In the aftermath of a failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016, more than 17,000 women from all walks of life including teachers, doctors and housewives have been jailed in Turkey on coup charges in government-led operations. There are currently more than 700 children accompanying their mothers in Turkish jails.

The “Care, Share, Send a Letter” campaign calls for letters addressed to the mothers and women imprisoned in Turkey to give them hope, to stand in solidarity with them and to remind them that they are not alone.

The Set them Free initiative is calling on people to write letters full of love, hope and dignity that will empower the women in jail.

“We kindly urge you to use positive and encouraging language in the letter in line with our mission to give hope and empowerment to the jailed women. We expect letters to be emailed to sethemfreetr@gmail.com. After the campaign end date, Set Them Free will print the emailed letters and post them to the person that you have addressed,” says the initiative.

The letters will be kept confidential and no letter will be published on any of the platforms unless the correspondent gives authorization for Set Them Free to share their letters as a sample for other participants.

Set Them Free says it has received approval for the campaign from the relatives of mothers and female journalistssuch as Vahide Kutkut, jailed since February 2017 and mother of two children; Gülizar Diken Akbaba, jailed since July 2017 with her baby Miraz; Selma Polat, jailed since December 2017 with her baby Emir; journalist Ayşenur Parıldak, jailed since August 2016;Meltem Oktay, jailed since April 2017; and Hanım Büşra Erdal, jailed since July 2016.

“If you know any jailed mother or woman in person and have a connection to obtain an authorization from the family, please feel free to contact us, and we would be glad to include them as well,” the initiative says.

 

Source: Turkey Purge , February 3, 2018


Related News

Islamic scholar Gülen rejects involvement with graft probe and wiretappings

“If among those who conducted the graft investigations were some people who might be connected to the Hizmet movement, was I supposed to tell these people, ‘Turn a blind eye to the corruption charges?’ It appears to me that some people were expecting me to do this. Did they expect me to do this? How can I say something that would ruin my afterlife? How else can I act?” Fethullah Gülen said.

Hizmet-affiliated schools removed from private school incentive list

The Hizmet schools were in the original list of those institutions which met all the criteria for eligibility to receive financial incentives to accept these students. Announced on Monday, the schools were listed on the ministry’s website until Thursday afternoon, when they were taken off without any explanation. However, an official written notice sent from the ministry to governorates on Thursday said: “It was not deemed proper to give such incentives to education institutions whose managers are under fiscal investigation and interrogation within the scope of the Law No. 5549 on the Prevention of Laundering of Crime Revenues and those that had received punishments fiscal irregularities after due inspections before,” and asked the governorates do what the notice requires.

Accused Turkish Cleric Assails President on Anniversary of Coup Attempt in WSJ Interview

Fethullah Gulen repeated his declaration that he has never been involved in any coup-plotting. “I never thought that he could go so bad,” said Mr. Gulen, who said that the Turkish president was unleashing mass hysteria inside the country. “Some parts of Turkish society have lost their ability to think.”

Iranian gold stars in Turkish corruption scandal

It is difficult to predict how the bribery/corruption investigation into several Turkish ministers will end. Although there are those who frame the event as a power struggle between the Fethullah Gulen movement and the government, conspiracy theories expand its dimensions to include the United States and Iran. The government is looking for US and Israeli hands in the operation because of the use of Halkbank to circumvent the sanctions imposed on Iran.

Religious leader: I was told to blame Gülen movement for police banning my group meeting

Alparslan Kuytul, president of the Furkan Foundation and leader of a religious group critical of the Turkish government, said he was advised to put the blame on the faith-based Gülen movement for a police intervention in a meeting of his followers in April and that the government would ultimately clear the way for his group to operate freely.

[Caliphate in sight] What to expect in 2014 Turkey

Well, under normal circumstances Erdoğan would get neither himself nor his government involved in what looks like plain bribery. But the situation would be completely different if the underlying assumption of the government is that Erdoğan is the de facto caliph.

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

Nigeria – Our students should not be victims of Turkey’s high-handedness and authoritarianism

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

Ruling AKP officials downplay tension with Gülen movement

JWF organized a side-event at UN in Geneva

Deputy Prime Minister Arınç praises Turkish schools in Nigeria

GYV organized peace conference at United Nation

TUSKON key in trade with Turkey, top Russian group says

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News