Turkish gov’t detained 2,426 people in January over alleged links to Gülen movement

The Turkish Interior Ministry announced on Monday that 623 people have been detained in one week over their alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement, bringing the number of people detained in January to 2,426.

The Gülen movement is accused by the Turkish government of masterminding a coup attempt on July 15, 2016. The movement strongly denies any involvement.

A total of 62,895 people were detained in 2017 as part of investigations into the movement, according to Interior Ministry reports. Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu on Jan. 5 said 48,305 people were jailed in 2017 alone over Gülen movement links.

Soylu said on Dec. 12, 2017 that 55,665 people have been jailed and 234,419 passports have been revoked as part of investigations into the movement since the failed coup. Soylu on Nov. 16, 2017 had said eight holdings and 1,020 companies were seized as part of operations against the movement.

The Justice Ministry announced on July 13 that 169,013 people have been the subject of legal proceedings on coup charges since the failed coup.

Turkey has suspended or dismissed more than 150,000 judges, teachers, police and civil servants since July 15 through government decrees issued as part of an ongoing state of emergency declared after the coup attempt.

According to Ministry of Justice data, there are currently 384 prisons with a capacity of 207,279 in Turkey; however, the total number of inmates was 228,983 as of October 2017. The Ministry of Justice plans to build 228 new prisons with a capacity of 137,687 in the next five years. (turkishminute.com)

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