Brother of state of emergency commission member dismissed over Gülen links

Gamze Kolcu - ANKARA

The brother of a member of an investigation commission looking into state of emergency decrees has been dismissed from his duty over his alleged connection with the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) as part of a decree.

“It is correct that Hüseyin İkbal, who was dismissed for FETÖ [links], is my brother,” said Mustafa İkbal, one of the seven members of the State of Emergency Procedures Investigation Commission.

“We have not seen each other for the last three years. We are 10 siblings. One of them turned out this way. Those around him, who are familiar with him, know of his connection with the [Gülen] community. He was a member of the [Gülen] community’s union. Our opinions do not have to be the same.”

Following the June 2016 coup attempt, Turkey introduced a state of emergency that has seen tens of thousands of public servants dismissed or suspended from their jobs over suspected ties to FETÖ. The government then created a commission on Jan. 22 to evaluate and make decisions about applications related to operations made within the scope of the decree laws. The commission will receive applications about removals or dismissals from public service and education institutions, as well as the closure of associations and foundations.

“The state has given me the post of commission member. If [my brother’s] file comes to the commission, my idea and decision is that he is a FETÖ member,” said Mustafa İkbal, who is also an official at the Education Ministry.

Hüseyin İkbal, a former teacher dismissed from a school in Istanbul’s Arnavutköy district with a decree on Sept. 1, 2016, told daily Hürriyet, said he never advanced anywhere due to his connections with the Gülen movement. 

“I had an account in [a Gülen-linked] bank for 10 years, but I had not been using that account for a couple of years. There were some transfers from abroad. I was conducting some advertising work, but there was no such money deposited for the purpose of supporting [me],” he said.

“Like everyone else, I will definitely apply to the commission. I am not in love with teaching; I built my own business. But, unjust treatment is in question here. There are some rights I have been deprived of. There is the tarnishing of my image in society’s eyes. I have three children. I was a member of only one union, which I had resigned from a couple of months ago before the July 15 [coup] attempt. I don’t think that a positive decision will come out of the commission for anyone,” he said.