Pregnant woman jailed over Gülen links sent back to prison after losing baby


Date posted: August 9, 2019

Hanife Çiftçi, who was jailed in June when she was seven weeks pregnant due to her alleged links to the Gülen movement, lost her unborn baby and was sent back to prison from the hospital on the same day, the tr724 news website reported on Wednesday.

Çiftçi, who was put in pre-trial detention on June 27 in Osmaniye in southern Turkey although she had complications and bleeding, was hospitalized on July 31. It turned out that the 12-week-old baby had no heartbeat and the doctors had to perform an abortion. 

Although the woman had the risk of developing an infection following the abortion due to the unhygienic conditions in prison, she was jailed again despite several petitions demanding her release.

Çiftçi’s husband, Salih, tweeted, “It is hard to understand this lack of remorse.”

Hanife Çiftçi will appear in court for the first time on Oct. 2.

The Turkish government accuses the Gülen movement of masterminding a failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016 and labels it a “terrorist organization,” although the movement strongly denies involvement in the coup attempt or any terrorist activity.

Turkish law requires postponement of the arrest of pregnant women until they give birth and the infant reaches the age of six months.

Since the failed coup attempt, Turkey has been conducting a massive witch-hunt against people from all walks of life on charges of “coup involvement.” Many women jailed with their young children, immediately after delivery or while pregnant, are believed to be linked to the Gülen movement.

Source: Turkish Minute , August 7, 2019


Related News

Turkey’s counter-terrorism campaign [against Hizmet] discredited

The agenda of the Turkish authorities [against Hizmet] goes far beyond the attempted coup, it is about the need to neutralise a movement that became a political threat when its followers within the judiciary and police started exposing corruption within the government’s ruling inner circle in December 2013.

Hizmet and Turkey’s relations with Nigeria

Apart from establishing most successful educational institutions in Nigeria, the Hizmet Movement, which is also referred to as Gulen Movement, has been in the fore-front in propagating modern face of Islam, while at the same time building bridges of peace through interfaith dialogue.

Kosovo Extradition of Wanted Turkish ‘Gulenist’ Suspended

Kosovo prosecutor Ali Rexha on Thursday withdrew his request for the court to allow the extradition of Turkish citizen Ugur Toksoy, who was arrested on October 27 on a warrant arrest issued by Turkey.

ESİDEF: Targets doubled despite intimidation

Federation of the Aegean and Mediterranean Industrialists and Businesspeople (ESİDEF) President Mustafa Çelik said anti-democratic rhetoric and intimidating speeches against the business world in Turkey have motivated them to double their targets.

Parallel vs. Persian structure within the Turkish state

Despite all these accusations, the Erdoğan government has not produced any evidence to substantiate his allegations of a parallel structure within the judiciary, police or any other state institution, nor of officials receiving orders from anywhere other than their own legal superiors, nor has he or his government brought any of these charges to court.

Corruption investigation: Questions that will hound PM Erdoğan

Everyone is wondering now what is behind the corruption investigation, and the first “suspect” to come to many minds is the Islamist Gülen movement. Tensions between this group and the AKP have been rising over the years, and boiled over recently due to the prep-school issue – a matter that has received wide media coverage.

The Gülen movement denies this but the vitriol flying between daily Zaman, which is close to Gülen, and Yeni Şafak, which is staunchly pro-AKP, is enough to give one a sense of the bitter struggle involved.

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

Gülen’s lawyer likens hate campaign against his client to Nazi era

When The Last Barricade Falls: Remembering Unlawful Takeover Of Turkey’s Largest Daily – Zaman

Is it a parallel triangle or square?

Central West Africa shows up for TUSKON event

The tragic echoes of Turkey’s anti-Gülen campaign in Turkmenistan

Turkish-American school takes top prizes in Connecticut science fair

Erdogan’s critics in Germany living in fear of his long arm

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News