86-year-old Gülen-linked philanthropist arrested on terror (!) charges
Date posted: July 6, 2018
Eighty-six-year-old businessman Celal Afşar was arrested on Thursday along with his daughter, son-in-law and two others in Niğde province as part of an investigation into the faith-based Gülen movement, the tr724 news website reported.
He is known as a philanthropist in his town, with public broadcaster TRT in 2011 depicting his life as an example of dedication to charity.
Afşar was accused of providing financial support to a “terrorist organization.”
Among the arrestees was also the head of the now-closed Kimse Yok Mu charity organization’s Niğde branch.
Turkey survived a coup attempt on July 15, 2016 which the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government accused the Gülen movement of masterminding, although the movement strongly denies it.
According to the latest data released by the Justice Ministry, 203,518 Gülen followers have been investigated in the past five years.
Erdoğan confesses anti-Gülen witch-hunt has gone off track
Despite Gülen and the movement having denied the accusation and calling for an international investigation, Erdoğan — calling the coup attempt “a gift from God” — and the government launched a widespread purge aimed at cleansing sympathizers of the movement from within state institutions, dehumanizing its popular figures and putting them in custody.
Yet another woman detained due to Gülen links shortly after delivery
Sultan Çetintaş, who gave birth on Monday to her third child in the Turkish province of İzmir, was detained on Tuesday over alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement. Çetintaş was taken to the courthouse with her one-day-old baby after undergoing a C-section.
Why Is Turkey Targeting Hizmet? Questions about Erdoğan’s Post-Coup Crackdown
In May 2009, I received an award at the International Turkish Olympiad. The event was sponsored and organized by members of the Hizmet movement and most of the performers were students of Hizmet schools abroad. When I, together with a handful of other recipients, mounted the stage to accept our awards, there to shake our hands was the smiling then prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyib Erdoğan.
Couple jailed for watching Fethullah Gülen videos at Internet cafe
An Ankara couple has been sent to prison after they were caught watching videos belonging to US-based Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen at an internet cafe earlier this week.
PM threatens business, media and civic groups amid corruption woes
In several veiled references to the Hizmet movement, inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen who has been critical of the government for trying to derail the corruption investigation, the prime minister claimed that the operation was orchestrated by “gangs” and a “parallel state.”
Neither Erdoğan nor EU the same after five years
Erdoğan is going to Brussels as the prime minister of Turkey who doesn’t even have ambassadors in three of its region’s important capital; Cairo, Tel Aviv and Damascus. A negotiation chapter was opened in November 2013 after a three-year freeze. Erdoğan had to sack the former EU minister from the cabinet because of the allegations in relation with a major graft probe in December 2013 and appointed Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu to that post.
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
Turkey’s ‘black box’ must be opened
Turkish Cultural Center co-hosts Iftar with Westchester Reform Temple
Erdogan: A Classic Case Of How Power Corrupts
Tension should be reduced
Gulen Movement’s Global Appeal: Reflections from Chicago
60-year-old Turkish villager detained after questioning gov’t coup narrative
CSOs across Turkey slam campaign under way to discredit Hizmet movement
