Parents jailed over Gülen links not allowed see their children for 9 months


Date posted: December 19, 2019

Parents of four Bedia Baş and Abdülkadir Baş, who were arrested on terrorism charges in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016 due to their alleged links to the Gülen movement, were not allowed to see their children during the first nine months of their incarceration, according to a letter from Bedia Baş, the Aktif Haber news website reported.

The woman, a former teacher who was removed from her post due to Gülen movement ties, sent a letter from prison where she has been incarcerated for 27 months. Her husband has been in jail for 27 months as well.

In her letter Bedia Baş explained how the imprisonment of her and her husband has taken a toll on their four children while adding that her husband has been in solitary confinement for 27 months.

She said in the first nine months of their imprisonment, both she and her husband were given a punishment that restricted their right to open and closed visitations, write letters and make phone calls.

“Although this punishment seems to have been given to us, it was a punishment given to our children. Even I was unable to deal with this separation. I cannot imagine what kind of an impact it left on my children. I will never forget the emotions I experienced when I saw them for the first time after nine months,” she wrote.

Baş said her children were aged 12,11, 9 and two and a half when she was arrested, noting that it is impossible for her to put her longing for them into words.

She also called on intellectuals and jurists in the country to take action to ensure the release of thousands of innocent people in the country’s jails.

Abdülkadir Baş has been given a jail sentence of 13 years, nine months, while Bedia Baş was sentenced to nine years, six months on terrorism charges. Their cases are now pending at the Supreme Court of Appeals.

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

Following the coup attempt, the Turkish government launched a massive crackdown on followers of the Gülen movement under the pretext of an anti-coup fight as a result of which more than 150,000 people were removed from state jobs while in excess of 30,000 others were jailed and some 600,000 people have been investigated on allegations of terrorism.

Source: Turkish Minute , December 17, 2019

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Turkey: ‘Exclusion for all’ state

Indeed, just last week a columnist in a pro-government daily argued that officials in certain government institutions have been expelled over their alleged ties to the Hizmet movement. This is no different from a witch hunt. In a civilized society, expelling qualified professionals because of their sympathy for a religious and social movement can only be described as discrimination.

Gülen endorses reform package, appealing for ‘yes’ on Sept. 12 referendum

Well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen has said the constitutional reform package to be voted on Sept. 12 contains crucial amendments. Underlining that everyone, including Turkish citizens living abroad, should say “yes” in the referendum, Gülen said, “I wish we had a chance to raise the dead ones from their graves and urge them to cast ‘yes’ votes in the referendum,” as he highlighted the importance of voting in favor of the changes.

Who is Fethullah Gulen? (by National Catholic Reporter)

By blaming Fethullah Gulen and the Gulen movement for the coup attempt, Mr. Erdogan’s authoritarian tendencies have only increased as witnessed by the tens of thousands arrested and detained, and the radical curtailing of free speech. It now appears that in Mr. Erdogan’s hands Turkey’s future and that of the Middle East will be less democratic, less stable and more tumultuous than ever.

Liberal Turkish Journalists Champion Freedom of Expression, to a Degree

It’s precisely opposition journalists who have been criticized by colleagues who until recently worked for the newspapers of U.S.-based Fethullah Gulen. These colleagues accuse the opposition journalists of betraying freedom of expression. One of them is Sevgi Akarcesme who was editor-in-chief of the Turkish English-language daily Today’s Zaman. There is a great deal of truth in Akarcesme’s claims. But who today would dare defend journalists identified with Gulen?

Municipality shuts down three reading halls in Adıyaman

Adıyaman Municipality has reportedly closed down three reading halls established to help educate the children of needy and poor families, using scores of police vehicles.

A Mother and Son Flee Istanbul for San Antonio

Before the live feed was cut from the Zaman building on that Friday in March, I watched police shoot rubber bullets into the crowd gathered to protest the paper’s seizure. Bloodied, the crowd retreated, still screaming for free speech but knowing hope was gone.

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

Turkish schools are selected best high schools in Mongolia

Dr. Jill Carroll speaks on Fethullah Gulen and The Gulen Movement

Saudi Scholar al-Qarni: Gulen serves with wisdom

Hizmet movement and perceptions

Slain prosecutor’s daughter: My father was not with Gülen movement

Turkey’s Curious Coup – positions of the Turkish Government, Gulen Movement and Turkey’s Western allies

Class-B shareholders join objection against Asya decision

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News