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

PKK terrorists set dorm on fire, one student injured

Terrorists from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have set fire to a dershane and its dorm that belong to the Hizmet movement in the eastern province of Muş, injuring at least one student.

Hakan Şükür’s resignation blamed on lack of intra-party democracy

Şükür, a former international football player, left Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling party in protest against the government’s plan to shut down exam preparatory schools, revealing the intra-party divisions below the surface. The resignation came after Şükür objected to the government proposal to close these schools, which help students prepare for university and high school admission exams.

Antioch came together over Iftar

FAZİLET CANDAN – ANTIOCH Ramadan brings peace, mercy and blessings to the society. One good example if this was an iftar in Antioch, Turkey, where Alevite and Sunni Muslims, Jews, and Christians came together. Antioch has been remembered because of terrorism and some political incidents in the city. However, Alevites and Sunnis, Christians and Jews […]

Canada’s Turkish community on edge as government crackdown continues

In the aftermath of the failed coup — and the subsequent purge of thousands of workers accused of being dissidents — Canada has seen a spike in asylum claims from Turkey. The 55,000-strong Turkish-Canadian community has also become increasingly polarized, with distrust and accusations of witch hunts against anyone deemed to be a sympathizer and supporter of the Gulen Movement.

Art exhibition tells story of deficiency

Housed inside the building of APCO Worldwide, an independent communications consultancy firm, the art exhibition consists of 19 photographs taken by volunteers who participated in Kimse Yok Mu initiatives around the world, including in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia and Sudan. The exhibition will be open until Feb. 16.

Case of Calgary imam accused of plotting failed coup in Turkey will remain in limbo

Davud Hanci’s court appearance has been delayed. He was expected to appear today before a judge by video conference on allegations he helped orchestrate Turkey’s failed coup attempt last summer.

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

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

Journalists and Writers Foundation in Rwanda for Global Peacemakers Conference

Why Is Turkey Targeting Hizmet? Questions about Erdoğan’s Post-Coup Crackdown

Ahmet Şık’s book and Ergenekon’s media campaign (2)

Benin seeks development with investments of Turkish enterprises

Witch-hunt-targeted mother dies in Kabul, family could not attend funeral in Turkey

Parents protest deportation of Pak-Turk School’s teachers, staff

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News