Fethullah Gulen’s “old friend” detained by İzmir police despite suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s disease


Date posted: January 23, 2020

An 81-year-old Turkish man, who is known as a “longtime friend of Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen, was detained by police in the Turkish province of İzmir on Monday due to his links to the Gülen group.

According to the Gulen-friendly tr724 news website, Yusuf Pekmezci, who suffers from advenced Alzheimer’s disease, high blood pressure and osteoporosis, was in hiding for three years.

He is currenlty being held in police custody.

Pekmezci came to public attention with a 2014 interview he gave in which he talked about his love for the movement and Fethullah Gülen.

Source: Turkey Purge , January 22, 2020


Related News

One wounded in armed attack on university preparation course

22 April 2012 / TODAYSZAMAN.COM A private institution that offers weekend and evening courses to assist students in preparing for national exams, was attacked by an unidentified person with a Kalashnikov rifle in the southeastern province of Şırnak on Saturday, leaving a security guard wounded. The attack took place at Şırnak’s FEM Dershanesi around 10 p.m., […]

Turkish ruling party’s targeting of the Gülen movement constitutes a crime against humanity

Members of the Gülen movement, also known as the Hizmet movement, have systematically and for many years now, had secret files kept on them. They have also been followed, fired from their jobs and made the targets of extreme insults and curse words.

Gülen’s lawyer files criminal complaint against several Twitter accounts

In the criminal complaint, which was filed at the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office, it was written that suspects were claimed to have committed a crime by “tapping phone calls, and [making] audio and visual recordings [of] Mr. Gülen illegally.”

Turkish schools are being closed down

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu stated he had ordered the closure of Turkish schools in 160 countries, arguing that the officials of those schools had sent letters to the leaders of foreign countries in which they complained about the Turkish government. The closure of these schools is a serious step, but the reason for the closure is not based on real evidence.

Nigeria: Our students in Turkey

Nigerian students studying in Turkey have been detained in airports after being interrogated like criminals. About 50 of them were detained in Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport for 11 hours; some were deported, even though they were bona fide students who were yet to complete their studies.

Turkey targets the Gulen family

Turkish police detained Fethullah Gulen’s brother on Sunday. Fethullah is one of five siblings. He has three brothers – Mesih, Salih, and Kutbettin – and two sisters, Nurhayat and Fazilet. Turkey accuses the preacher of organizing the July 15 coup attempt. His organization denies any involvement in the coup.

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

Gülen-linked journalist association urges President Gül to take action over interventions on graft probe

Man campaigning for anti-Gülen protest in US Turkish Communist Party member

Interview: U.S. Judge Says Turkey’s Judiciary ‘Taken Over’ By Erdogan

Al-Zuhayli says Gülen’s ideas hope of humanity

First Documentary on the Hizmet Movement

Kimse Yok Mu opens school in Afghanistan

Erdogan in Africa: Gulen and trade ties

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News