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

Tip of the iceberg

BERİL DEDEOĞLU A significant allegation is circulating. Some people claim that the government wants to close prep schools because of a secret deal with the Kurds. They probably suggest that the Kurds are against the education institutions established by those close to Fethullah Gülen’s thinking, and they want to replace these prep schools with Kurdish […]

Turkish students win Int’l Environmental Project Olympiad medal

Ahmet Kamil Dokumacı and Taha İkram Özsümbül, both students from Turkey’s private Samanyolu Science High School, won silver medals at the 22nd International Environmental Project Olympiad (INEPO) held in Nairobi.

Ruling AKP officials downplay tension with Gülen movement

The tension between the government and Gülen’s movement (also known as the “Community,” “Cemaat” in Turkish, or “Service,” “Hizmet” in English) has escalated after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced plans to abolish private examination prep schools, many of which were financed and run by Gülen’s followers. The tension has recently peaked, with Erdoğan describing the group’s objection to his government’s plans as “a smear campaign.”

Another ‘coup suspect’ found dead in Turkish prison, bringing total to 21

At least 21 people have reportedly committed suicide either after they were imprisoned over ties to the movement or after being linked to the movement outside prison. The relatives of most of them claim that the detainees are not the kind of people to commit suicide, shedding doubt on the official narrative. Rumours also have it that some of the detainees were killed after being subjected to torture under custody.

‘Let my husband go to another country, just not Turkey’

Turkish citizen Turgay Karaman fears being deported back to Turkey, his wife Ayse Gul said today. “If his arrest has anything to do with political matters, and if the Malaysian authorities don’t want him here, they can send him to any other country but just not Turkey, because they will torture him there,” she told a press conference after the meeting.

Daily Trust Editorial: In Turkey, fresh affront on democracy

The AKP government, under emergency rule, has taken over hundreds companies, seized the assets of businessmen and shut down institutions linked to the movement. Despite the fact that Gülen denied the accusation and called for an international investigation into the coup attempt, President Erdoğan – calling the coup attempt “a gift from God” – and the Turkish government launched a widespread purge aimed at cleansing sympathizers of the movement.

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

Afghan journalists complain about Western coverage of their country

Gulen Schools Fight Provokes New Tensions in Bosnia

A Turkish coup, a family torn apart, a dramatic escape on foot: ‘Can you believe the things we went through?’

Governmental Robbery – Armenian Deportation

Erdoğan rewards the killers of Gülenists

Fear Grows in Turkey as Crackdown on Gulen Followers Continues

AKP turns medical university into its headquarters

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News