Albania deports Gülen follower at Turkey’s request despite court rejection of extradition


Date posted: January 3, 2020

Albanian authorities on Wednesday deported Harun Çelik, a Turkish teacher at a school affiliated with the faith-based Gülen movement in Albania, to Turkey despite a court order releasing him from his five-month incarceration over an extradition request from Ankara.

Çelik, 41, was reportedly arrested five months ago at Turkey’s request, but the court denied the extradition.

According to Bold Medya, Çelik was released from prison on Wednesday evening, when the Albanian police picked him up for transport to Tirana’s Rinas International Airport.

He had applied for asylum in the country five months ago, but officials have not yet proceeded with the request, the report said.

Turkey had previously been able to bring Gülen-affiliated individuals back home without official extradition processes in Kosovo and Moldova.

Turkish officials claim more than 100 Gülen followers have been brought back to the country since a failed 2016 coup.

Ankara accuses the Gülen movement of orchestrating the coup, although it strongly denies any involvement.

Source: Turkish Minute , January 1, 2020


Related News

Turkish school shelters mountaineer in Nepal

Ufuk Yünlü, a Turkish mountaineer who was caught on Mount Everest at an altitude of 5,100 meters during last Saturday’s devastating earthquake in Nepal, has been offered shelter at Turkish Meridian International School.

Der Spiegel: Turkish embassies pursuing Erdoğan critics in 35 countries

Turkish government has been spying on its own citizens in 35 countries with the help of its diplomatic outpost, according to German weekly magazine Der Spiegel.

Turkish family drowned in Aegean Sea while escaping from Erdogan regime

Victims of Erdogan regime are increasing everyday as there has not been an effective mechanism preventing him. A Turkish Family with three children drowned in Aegean Sea while escaping from Erdogan’ autocratic regime as they had last their hope to survive in Turkey.

Gulistan schools in Kosovo to continue education despite its abducted teachers

Gulistan Educational Institutions has declared that they will continue their activities despite their abducted teachers. 5 of their teachers were abducted by Turkish Intelligence Agency in cooperation with Kosovo’s intel agency, which shocked the global education community and protested in many countries including USA, Canada, and UK.

Ugandan opinion leader refutes news report which defames Hizmet Movement

Speaking to the Cihan news agency, Dr. Anas Abdunoor Kaliisa said he did not give such a statement to Yeni Şafak and such a slander is not unacceptable. “They asked me some questions about Hizmet Movement. I stated that Turkish schools contribute a lot to education of Uganda.

First Lego League qualifier at Brooklyn Amity School

Brooklyn Amity School became a site where students dealt with all kinds of animals, including alligators, frogs, reindeer, sharks, cows, pandas, bees, and seals. As a host of the First Lego League qualifier competition, 11 different schools came to Amity School. This year, the FLL’s concept was “Animal Allies,” which allowed students to think and act like scientists and engineers.

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

Operation against the Hizmet movement soon!

Gülen says never considered establishing political party

Abrupt gov’t decision to revoke status of Kimse Yok Mu draws criticism

Dangerous and unnecessary tension

The next phase in Turkey’s political violence – third and coming coup could be the most violent

Tip of the iceberg

Are there autonomous Hizmet groups?

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News