Deported Turkish Teacher Was Denied Political Asylum, DP Calls For Independent Investigation


Date posted: January 5, 2020

The Turkish teacher who was deported to Turkey on 1 January had requested political asylum, but the request was denied.

Voice of America spoke with the lawyer of Harun Celik, the 42-year-old accused of supporting the Fethullah Gülen movement. He stated that Celik was expelled from Albania to Turkey even though his life was in danger.

Lawyer Alban Bengasi said Celik was arrested six months ago for travelling with false documents to flee to Canada. He was leaving Turkey because he had received death threats. 

“Mr Celik asked for political asylum officials, but this was rejected by the prison police authorities.”

Voice of America asked Albanian police officials about the case but did not respond to a claim that the Turkish teacher had sought asylum. Bengasi said it is unusual for a person detained for falsifying documents to be held in custody for so long – 6 months. He said his client’s further fate, following deportation, was unclear.

For nearly three years, Turkey has launched a mass arrest campaign of anyone linked to the organization of Gulen, a former ally of President Erdogan, accused of being a terrorist and organizer of the 2016 coup

The Fethullah Gülen movement is considered a terrorist organization in Turkey, Pakistan and some of the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The leader of the movement himself lives in the US, which has rejected Erdogan’s demands for his arrest and extradition to the point where allegations of terrorist activity remain unproven.

The government claims that it is a legal matter relating to his documents, not a political one.

Genc Pollo, former Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration called on the President, Ombudsman and Prosection to investigate the case.

“The illegal abduction of Turkish national Harun Celik carried out by the Rama government violates human rights and breaches Albanian as well as applicable international law, including the Council of Europe conventions. I call for an independent investigation into the case by the President, the Ombudsman, and the Prosecution.

He added: “By this action, the Rama government makes Albania’s OSCE Chairmanship in Office, which started just three days ago, look ironic. It further dangers a positive decision on the EU accession talks.”

A government spokesperson did not respond to a request for comments on the case.

Source: Exit News , January 3, 2020

Tags: | | |


Related News

Turkey’s Erdogan and unending human rights repression

The judiciary, media organisations, opposition parties, civil servants, charity groups, just to mention a few, are being subjected to a daily dose of massive abuses and suffocation in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The recent catch to the abuse list is the sacking of medical professionals, scientists, and other academics from universities.

Hizmet movement and government

Yavuz Baydar  June 14, 2012 Is it the movement attacking the government, or vice versa? Some believe that it is, some hope that it is, some deny that it is and many others feel deeply concerned that it is. I tend to belong to the latter camp. It is undeniable that the Hizmet movement (aka […]

AKP: What is next?

Neither Erdoğan nor his bureaucrats could convince the public that their plan was educational, and not an attempt to punish the Hizmet movement. Gül, Arınç and several of Erdoğan’s ministers couldn’t stop Erdoğan, who started a war against the Hizmet movement and even directly attacked Fethullah Gülen by taking remarks Gülen made about the headscarf ban 15 years ago completely out of context.

Samanyolu schools to sue 3 government officials over unlawful search warrant

Samanyolu Educational Institutions are preparing to file a criminal complaint against three government officials on charges of misconduct related to an unlawful warrant to inspect all private schools in Ankara through the end of the 2015-2016 academic year, Today’s Zaman has learned.

Turkey at the precipice

Turkey has a terror problem. The Islamic State, Kurdish extremists and radical leftists each pursue targets inside Turkey seemingly with impunity. Turkey is no stranger to terrorism, but for decades it managed to control the problem. Turkey’s security forces were efficient. Today, however, the situation has changed. Turkish President Erdogan has purged the military, the police, and intelligence professionals.

Is the Gulen Movement an alternative to the state?

Some say, “You [Gülen Movement] are acting as the honorary ambassadors, counselors, and attachés, are you the alternative to the state? My answer is as follows: If some people are taking care of the business in the places where you cannot reach, you have to only admire and compliment them.

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Debate over Turkish government move on prep schools grows

Turkish miner, Lonmin to explore for gold, silver in Ireland

Education for Sustainable Development

“Peace and Sustainable Development: A Two-Way Relationship” Panel

HAPPENING NOW: Police await outside Esenyurt Eslife hospital to detain woman who just gave birth

Avni: New plot under way to blame Gülen movement for PKK attacks

‘The Gulen movement is one of the very few that has managed to live what it preaches.’

Copyright 2024 Hizmet News