An Adana court on Friday appointed a trustee to the Furkan Foundation, whose 25 members including President Alparslan Kuytul, leader of a religious group critical of the Turkish government, were detained earlier this week. The decision was made by the Adana Penal Court of First Instance.
Kuytul, on outspoken government critic, and the other detainees are reportedly accused of disrupting the public order and establishing a criminal organisation. They are being investigated by the Adana Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Kuytul is also facing charges of insulting the president and inciting the public to hatred in two other investigations in which he faces seven years in jail.
Turkish police raided the offices Furkan Foundation in the southern province of Adana on Tuesday and detained 24 people, including its founder Alparslan Kuytul, who could face up to seven years in jail. Authorities have launched an investigation into the group and consider it a “criminal organisation” that “carries out activities that would threaten public order” Turkish local press reported.
The pro-government newspaper Sabah has claimed that Kuytul had made statements supporting the failed 2016 coup. Since the coup attempt trustees have been appointed to hundreds of companies and dozens of municipalities and foundations due to these institutions’ alleged terror or coup links. (SCF with turkishminute.com)
