Men accused of attempting to rape 6 teachers: We thought they were Gulenists


Date posted: February 17, 2017

Three suspects accused of attempting to rape 6 female teachers in İzmir have told a court they “wanted to force” the teachers to leave the town because they thought that the victims had links to the Gulen movement, which the government accuses of masterminding the July 15 coup attempt.

The suspects are being tried at an İzmir criminal court and face up to 20 years jail time on charges of “causing damage to property” and “sexual harassment.”

According to CNN Turk news portal, the three man identified with initials Y.I., M.A., M.B., came to the house where the teachers — S.C. (39), İ.P. (26), B.D. (26), E.Ş. (40), F.Ö. (66) and B.Ö. (26) – were staying in and started kicking the door and threatened the women to let them in. The suspects reportedly fled after H.Y., a villager, approached the house upon hearing calls for help from the victims.

Even though the incident took place weeks before the coup attempt the suspects said in their defense that they thought that the teachers were Gulenists and thereby wanted to dismiss them from the town.

“We were drunk and we do not remember much. We did not engage in any kind of verbal harassment. Maybe we did. We were drunk so we do not remember. We just threw stones to drive them out of town. Because we thought they were Gulenists”, the suspects said.

Source: Turkey Purge , February 17, 2017

Tags: | | |


Related News

Gulen-linked body condemns attempted Turkey coup

For more than 40 years, Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet participants have advocated for, and demonstrated their commitment to, peace and democracy. We have consistently denounced military interventions in domestic politics. These are core values of Hizmet participants. We condemn any military intervention in domestic politics of Turkey.

PM made the wrong choice

Erdoğan put under the spotlight US Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone by stating: “Recently, very strangely, ambassadors have gotten involved in some provocative acts. I am calling on them from here to do your job. If you leave your area of duty, this could extend into our government’s area of jurisdiction. We do not have to keep you in our country.” These caustic sentences prove that the AK Party has decided to declare a war not only against the Hizmet movement but also to provoke tensions with the US. Since they have opted for a defensive attack strategy, this reaction does not surprise anyone.

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

Calls for reform, landmark court rulings, and rising political pressure put the European Convention on Human Rights at a crossroads across the continent. Key Points The European human rights landscape is facing a period of exceptional turbulence, with recent decisions and debates placing the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and its overseeing court at […]

EU report expresses concern about purge against Gülen movement

The progress report on Turkey that was issued on Wednesday by the European Commission expressed concern over the Turkish government’s purge against Gülen movement members, saying “any allegation of wrongdoing needs to be examined with due process, transparent procedures, and the right of every individual to a fair trial or equitable administrative process should be safeguarded.”

GYV says arrest warrant for Gülen motivated by upcoming election

The Journalists and Writers Foundation’s (GYV), of which Fethullah Gülen is the honorary president, issued a statement on Wednesday slamming the government-orchestrated arrest warrant for Gülen as a government election tactic.

Who was behind the Turkish Coup: Sufi Islamic Scholar Fathullah Gülen or the Regime itself?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has bluntly blamed it on the Hizmet movement, Gülen’s initiative for intercultural and interfaith dialogue and education in the country expanding across the world today. But for many immensely impressed by Gülen’s global humanitarian, social and Islam-based peace activism, it remains an obscure question as to how the former ally of his country is now blamed for 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

MHP: Gov’t should not harass its citizens who open Turkish schools abroad

Hizmet’s role in global peace, interfaith dialogue highlighted in African conference

Abant Platform discusses terror at UN headquarters in Vienna

“True change in a society cannot be achieved through politics but through conscience and collective awareness”

SP’s Kamalak says MGK, not Hizmet movement, should discuss Kurdish issue

US ambassador story concocted by gov’t team, claims daily

I feel fooled, upset, hurt

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News