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

Upholding of Yıldırım’s conviction; another case of ‘significant timing’

Nowadays, Erdoğan is leading a defamation campaign to black out the truth and to distort the facts through the discourses of ‘parallel state,’ ‘there is no corruption; but a coup’ and ‘international conspiracy’.” Çandar then quoted Yıldırım responding to a question asking if he thinks that the Hizmet movement is behind the case against Fenerbahçe, in an interview he recently gave to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), saying: “This is not what I think. This is what the prime minister of the Turkish Republic thinks.”

Police officials who carried out graft operation detained in raids

As many as 100 high-ranking members of the police force were detained in a large-scale operation which began late Monday night/early Tuesday morning in over 20 provinces as part of the government’s attempt to contain an embarrassing graft scandal which has implicated several ministers and dozens of pro-government businessmen. The operation has been described as […]

Policeman who fought against putchists arrested while getting treatment at hospital

Ekrem Türk, a 34-year old police officer who fought to prevent the advance of army tanks in Turkish capital on the day of failed coup bid of July 15, 2016 was rounded up while he was getting treatment at a private hospital in Ankara.

Gulen’s interview with Russian media: I don’t worry about Turkey’s extradition request

Gülen : I don’t worry about Turkey’s extradition request. I live my last days anyway and it doesn’t matter if I die here, in Turkey, or somewhere else. Never have I had anything to pursue other than doing everything in my power to succeed in the next world and to receive the contentment of the Almighty.

Freedom comes with a price

Those who raise demands for democracy and transparency are being raided, arrested or smeared as a result of the government’s reliance on Nazi Germany methods of persecution and oppression.

Fethullah Gulen and the Kurdish Issue

Fethullah Gulen ponders over many issues that range from faith to ethnic problems in Turkey. Furthermore, through faith and cultural values, Gulen is able to mobilize wide and influential segments in the society. I think, his words should be paid attention and listened.

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

Afghans laud honorable Fethullah Gulen

Fethullah Gülen’s teachings discussed at conference in Algeria

Hiring based on ‘color lists’ a violation of Constitution, analysts say

Animation – Story of Turkish teacher Gokhan Acikkollu, tortured to death under police custody

Romania hosts 12th International Language and Culture Festival finals

Kimse Yok Mu aid cheers up Albanian community in Petrella

Nigeria – Our students should not be victims of Turkey’s high-handedness and authoritarianism

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News