The wife of a respected Aydın businessman has become one of the many victims of political oppression against the Gülen movement after her husband was arrested and the couple’s properties seized by the government over links to the movement.
Turkey accuses the movement of masterminding a coup attempt on July 15, while the latter denies any involvement.
“I am the wife of H.İ.K., one of the partners of Nazilli’s most popular eye hospital,” the woman, known only by the initials S.K., said in a recent tip submitted to Turkey Purge. Nazilli is the second most populous district in Turkey’s western province of Aydın.
“Having served the state for years, my husband is a retired army officer. He was detained for no reason at the hospital that he built up through his own efforts. He was arrested and sent to prison,” the letter continued.
The unjust treatment of the couple is not limited to his arrest, the woman said, adding, “All our assets were seized and the hospital was shut down.”
According to her letter, the woman felt compelled to transfer their daughter to another school after suffering public intimidation.
“We were exposed to slander in the media’s biased publications. … Our personal rights have been violated, and we are devastated.”