Turkey shuts down over 2,000 Gulen-linked institutions

ANKARA

More than 2,000 Gulen-linked institutions have been shut down across Turkey following the deadly July 15 coup attempt, an official gazette revealed Saturday.

According to the decrees published in the gazette, 35 health institutions and organizations as well as 1,043 private education institutions, organizations, dormitories, and hostels were closed for having links with the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, or FETO.

A total of 1,229 foundations and associations,19 unions, federation and confederation and 15 foundation schools were also closed.

The measures were taken under the three-month state of emergency in the country, which was announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday.

Turkey's parliament ratified a motion regarding the state of emergency by a vote of 346-115 Thursday.

The official gazette also specified that detention periods during the state of emergency would not exceed 30 days, except in the compulsory duration period during which a suspect would be sent to a judge or court close to the place where he or she gets caught.

Also, public officials, who are evaluated as having membership, connection, affiliation or link to the terror organizations or structures, formations or groups would be discharged and would not be able to find employment in the public sector anymore.

Further, it was specified that members of Turkish Armed Forces who are deemed to pose a threat to national security would be dismissed only after a request was made by the General Staff and an approval given by the National Defense Ministry.

In addition, those in Gendarme forces and Coast Guards linked to coup attempt would only be sacked after the Interior Ministry gave its approval.

Late Friday, Turkish authorities also sealed off the charity organization Kimse Yok Mu.

The charity's directorate building in Istanbul's Sultanbeyli district was emptied and signboards were dropped and doors were sealed, an Anadolu Agency correspondent at the scene witnessed.

The deadly coup attempt began late July 15 when rogue elements of the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country's democratically-elected government, killing at least 246 people and injuring more than 2,100 others.

The government said the attempted coup was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who leads FETO.

Gulen is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating into Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming a ‘parallel state’.