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

Tags: | | | | | |


Related News

Row between Turkish government and Gulen Movement takes new twist

The row between Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Fethullah Gulen’s Hizmet Movement, one of the most influential religious communities in the country, has taken an interesting twist after the revelation of a 2004 document. In 2004, the National Security Council proposed a clampdown on the Gulen movement (aka Hizmet), which suggested that harsh sanctions should be enforced on them.

The 14th Annual International Language and Culture Festival, organized by Raindrop Foundation

We love sharing the talents of young people. This group is truly international they come from 23 different countries, including France Mexico, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Tunisia, Ukraine, Brazil, Germany, Kazakhstan. They are here to compete in the Turkish raindrop foundations 14th annual international Festival of language and culture.

Chief General Eduardo Año: We don’t consider Gulen movement a terror group

Armed Forces chief General Eduardo Año has confirmed that the movement linked to Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen is not labeled as a terror group. Interviewed by reporters in Malacañang, Año said organizations in the Philippines linked to the Gulen movement have been helping people.

EU, US Have Little Leverage as Turkish Democracy Backslides

“In the big picture, Erdogan knows that the EU needs Turkey and will come back begging for a new agreement on the migrants. That’s why he will play a game of brinksmanship,” said Soner Cagaptay, the director of the Turkish program at The Washington Institute.

Report: Police chief sets up teams to torture post-coup detainees

“The day I was detained, five police officers took me to a mountain and beat the hell out of me. I have been kicked in the head and genital area tens of times. I managed to identify two of the torturers. One of them was called Nejdet and the other one was Battal. Yet, maybe they use nicknames…. I do not have strength to tell you about all the humiliating sexual torture I faced that night,” a victim said.

Opposition CHP to take Gül-approved dershane law to Constitutional Court

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is preparing to take a controversial law closing Turkey’s dershanes, or private preparatory schools, to the Constitutional Court, the party said a day after President Abdullah Gül signed the bill into law on Wednesday.

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

Former AK Party minister praises Turkish Olympiads

Turkey warns Kazakhstan over Gulen-linked schools

Russian envoy’s murderer attended sermons of controversial pro-Erdoğan cleric

86-year-old man in 11th month of his arrest on coup charges

Journalists seek asylum in Canada amid Turkish crackdown

Turkey harshly criticized by panel in US over press freedom

Deporting Gülen would undercut NATO

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News