Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis


Date posted: December 1, 2021

Yusuf Özmen, a cancer patient who has been sentenced to 8 years, 9 months in prison due to his alleged links to the Gülen movement, has recently been sent back to prison after the supreme court of appeals upheld the prison sentence.

According to the Kronos news portal, Although a report issued by the Erzurum Atatürk University hospital committee has advised against his imprisonment, Özmen currently stays at Erzurum H Type High Security Prison.

The purge-victim man is accused of having membership in the Gulen group, which the Turkish government accuses of masterminding a coup attempt on July 15, 2016. The group denies any involvement.

Following the coup attempt, the Turkish government launched a massive crackdown on followers of the movement under the pretext of an anti-coup fight as a result of which more than 130,000 people were removed from state jobs while in excess of 30,000 others including elderly people, pregnant women or those who have just given birth and ailing people are still in jail, and some 600,000 people have been investigated on allegations of terrorism. 

Source: Turkey Purge , August 15, 2021

Tags: | | |


Related News

Prominent columnist Bağdat slams persecution of Hizmet

Popular daily columnist Hayko Bağdat called for a halt of the witch hunt against Hizmet and expressed the need for tolerance for all social groups in Turkey.

Diplomatic Row over Gulen Influence in Africa

Turkey’s relations with African countries have been strained following demands by the Turkish government to close Gulenist schools in Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia. After the attempted coup in Turkey on July 15, which the Turkish government has accused Gulen of masterminding, Turkey’s ambassador to Nigeria called for 17 Gulenist schools in the country to be closed.

In rare interview: Fethullah Gulen rebukes Turkish regime

“The master” suggested that democracy is the best option for societies characterized by diversity and heterogeneity clarifying that those features apply to both Egypt and Turkey as they house many segments of Muslims and Christians as well as atheists. Hence, Gulen proposes that the administration system must be tolerant to not create hostilities, which have become common in Turkey.

Pakistani rights group calls for immediate release of abducted Turkish principal, family

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for the immediate release of Mesut Kaçmaz, the former principal of a Turkish school in Pakistan, and his family, who were reportedly abducted by Pakistani police in Lahore in the early hours of Wednesday.

Man behind Gülen probe also filed complaints about PM Erdoğan

An investigation into Gülen was launched by an Ankara prosecutor’s office earlier this week following a complaint filed by C.O. The former noncommissioned officer told the media that his complaint against the scholar was based on a number of reports that had appeared in government newspapers. “I am basing my complaint on newspaper reports and my thoughts. I am unhappy. I do not want to be promoted in the media or become popular. I do not like things like this. I have also filed many criminal complaints against the prime minister,” he said.

Wife says dismissed police chief left to die of colorectal cancer in İzmir prison

Yavuz Bölek, a former police chief who was dismissed from his job following corruption probes implicating Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has colorectal cancer and will soon be paralyzed if he is not given medical attention. His requests for treatment have been ignored.

Latest News

Sacramento leaders gather for Iftar dinner in celebration of Ramadan

SEO Skill Suite: Tools for Keyword Research, Technical & Backlink Analysis

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

In Case You Missed It

Fethullah Gülen: “Disbelief may prevail, but tyranny will not” (Interview in Asharq Al-Awsat-II)

I object to AK Party’s ‘New Turkey’

The Ideal of Serving Mankind

GYV discusses respect for sacred values at UN panel

Turkish aid organizations rushes aid to Philippines

Turkish imam in Copenhagen says embassy spied on 4 people, 14 schools

Turkey further from EU accession than in 2007, Swoboda says

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News