A Turkish court has sentenced a man to seven-and-a-half years in prison on accusations that he helped transfer money to families of people jailed over alleged ties to the faith-based Gülen movement, Turkish Minute reported, citing the Velev news website.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been targeting followers of the Gülen movement, inspired by the late Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen, since corruption investigations in December 2013 implicated him as well as some members of his family and inner circle.
Dismissing the investigations as a Gülenist coup and a conspiracy against his government, Erdoğan began to target the movement’s members. He designated the movement as a terrorist organization in May 2016 and intensified the crackdown on it following an abortive putsch in July of the same year that he accused Gülen of masterminding. The movement strongly denies involvement in the coup attempt or any terrorist activity.
The case was heard at the Adana 2nd High Criminal Court in southern Turkey, where prosecutors argued that the defendant, identified only by the initials Ö.T., received about 62,000 Turkish lira ($1,430) in his bank account from a person who had been flagged in official records over alleged membership in Gülen movement.
Prosecutors said Ö.T. then passed the money on to families of people described as Gülen movement members in prison along with people dismissed from their jobs during Turkey’s post-coup purge.
The indictment also cited witness statements that alleged Ö.T. maintained contact with people linked to the movement and attended meetings, according to details shared from the courtroom proceedings.
Ö.T., who was not kept in pretrial detention during the proceedings, denied the accusations in his defense and said he had no organizational role and did not provide financial support.
The court convicted and sentenced him but did not order his arrest.
Aid to families treated as criminal support
The ruling reflects a broader pattern in Turkey’s post-2016 crackdown, in which courts have prosecuted a wide range of actions as alleged support for the Gülen movement, including donations and help provided to relatives of detainees, lawyers and rights advocates have said in past cases.
Erdoğan’s government has pursued criminal cases against thousands of people accused of links to the group.
After the coup attempt, Turkish authorities launched mass detentions and public-sector dismissals, removing teachers, police officers, judges, soldiers and civil servants through emergency decrees. Many were banned from public service and lost access to passports, making it difficult for families to find work or relocate.
In recent years Turkish courts have continued to convict defendants based on financial transactions, phone records, witness testimony and claims of participation in private gatherings. Critics say the cases often rely on vague allegations and guilt by association.
The verdict comes as Turkey maintains pressure on people accused of Gülen ties, including those who have already served time in prison and those who remain on trial while free under judicial supervision.
Rights groups have long argued that supporting families of prisoners should not be treated as terrorism-related activity, warning that such prosecutions can criminalize humanitarian assistance and deepen social and financial hardship for families affected by the post-coup purge.
