25 released, 18 sent to court in ‘parallel’ operation in Konya

The May 22 arrests of police officers and education officials suspected of links to the Gülen movement led by U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fetullah Gülen included Anadolu Atayün, the former head of Konya police’s organized crime bureau, and the ex-rector of Mevlana University, Bahattin Adam.

Some 25 suspects, including Atayün, Adam, former High Educational Board (YÖK) deputy head Şaban Çalış, and former Bingöl police chief Ercan Taştekin, former Ağrı Police Department airport chief Arif Aykut, were released on May 23 while 18 others were sent to court. 

The Konya Prosecutor’s Office ordered the detention of 66 suspects in 19 provinces on charges of being a member of a criminal organization on May 22. Police were searching for the remaining 23 suspects, including former Konya provincial police chief Salih Tuzcu and S.C., the head of the Active Businessmen and Industrialists Association.

The arrests were the latest in a campaign of parallel state operations that has seen hundreds arrested for links to the Gülen movement since last summer.

The group and its followers are accused of orchestrating a corruption probe which, according to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, targeted high-ranking Turkish officials in December 2013 in a bid to overthrow the government.