Trustees were appointed to the management of 4 more companies as part of an ongoing probe initiated by government to suppress Gülen movement.
Turkish media reported on Saturday that an Ankara court ordered for trustees to be appointed to Pinhan Restaurant, Birim real estate company, Birim Insurance and Herkül trade company, on the grounds that they financially support the parallel state.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government launched an all-out war against the Gülen movement, after a corruption investigation targeting people in Erdoğan’s inner circle became public with a wave of detentions on Dec. 17, 2013.
Erdoğan branded the corruption scandal that resulted in the resignation of four of his Cabinet ministers as a “coup attempt.” He accused police officers, judges and prosecutors he claimed are linked with Gülen movement, which is inspired by Turkish-Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, of being behind the investigation. The movement strongly denies the allegations brought against it.
The move to appoint trustees comes amidst escalating government pressure on sympathizers of the Gülen movement as well as business groups, hospitals and schools affiliated with it.