Witch hunt in Turkey came to a new level by targetting relatives of people who are accused to be associated with Hizmet movement and Fethullah Gulen.
On July 26, Turkish police stormed the house of Muhammet Cakir, a lawyer wanted for arrest on coup charges. Failing to find the lawyer at home, they detained his 86-year-old mother to force her son to surrender. She has been kept as hostage since.
Likewise Bulent Korucu who was the editor-in-chief ot Yarina Bakis daily until Turkish government shut it down in the post-coup crackdown, is wanted for arrest. On July 30, Turkish authorities detained his wife, Hacer Korucu, as a hostage until her husband surrenders. After 10 days in detention, Hacer has been arrested on August 9.
Instead of Turkish international footballer and former MP Hakan Şükür, his father Selmet Sukur has been taken into police custody on August 12 and arrested. Instead of Former Editor in Chief of Today’s Zaman Bulent Kenes, his brother who os a teacher is arrested.
It is against most basic principles of law, but number of similar cases are increasing each day.
