Belgium court sentences man to 6-month in prison over online threats targeting Gülen followers
Date posted: March 25, 2018
A local court in Belgium’s Limburg province has given 6-month jail time plus 600 euros fine to a 37-year-old man who threatened Gulen supporters online.
“Come on, traitors, I’m waiting for you,” the man sent threats, via Facebook messages, to members of the Vuslat, an association affiliated with the Gulen movement supporters in Belgium, a day after the July 15, 2016 failed coup.
Meanwhile, he posted a picture of him posing alongside a firearm, Turkish flag and some ammunition.
The prison sentence was postponed while he is required to pay 600 euros as well as hearing costs, Brussels-based Het Laatste Nieuws said March 22.
Turkish government blames the Gulen movement for the July 15, 2016 failed attempt while the latter denies involvement.
More than 150,000 people have been detained over Gulen links so far.
Erdogan set up Maarif Foundation to seize Hizmet-inspired Turkish Schools
Despite tremendous efforts exerted by the government, only a few countries have given in to pressure from Ankara over the shutdown of Hizmet-linked schools, with a majority of them refusing to meet the demands of the Turkish government.
Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?
Erdogan’s government has made Gulenists “the enemy you ascribe to everything that goes poorly in Turkey,” according to Henri Barkey, a fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Pro-Erdogan columnist calls California ice-cream seller, “Dogs of Jews, terrorists!”
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Relatives Fear Turkish Govt May Kill Prisoners Through Staged Riot
Prisoners jailed in the post-coup crackdown in Istanbul and Ankara these days have far serious problem than torture and ill-treatment: media reports about a mass prison break that could provoke a government intervention, claims about mass executions of the prisoners trying to escape in that attempt.
An interesting debate in the European Parliament
It is known that European parliamentarians already talk to people close to Hizmet, so this refusal was interesting. It can even give the impression that the Turkish government is putting pressure on the EP. Of course, Turkey hasn’t that kind of power; if we did, we would have become an EU member years ago. The other impression is that the Hizmet movement is trying to influence the EP’s work.
Accused Turkish Cleric Assails President on Anniversary of Coup Attempt in WSJ Interview
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