Fethullah Gülen’s Lawyers Challenge Arrest Decision

The Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) has set to work on the file prepared by lawyers for Fethullah Gülen, the renowned Islamic scholar, challenging Ankara No. 2 DGM's decision authorizing Gülen's arrest, the Anatolia news agency reported on Wednesday.

At the request of Ankara DGM Public Prosecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel, who has been working on an investigation against Gülen for almost a year, the Ankara No. 2 DGM issued an arrest warrant for Gülen, who has been undergoing medical treatment in the United States, a couple of weeks ago.

Yuksel had initially asked Ankara No. 1 DGM's stand-in judge to authorize Gülen's arrest, since the prosecutor had judge to authorize Gülen's arrest, since the prosecutor had concluded his investigation. Judge Ramazan Aksan refused Yuksel's request.

The prosecutor then appealed to the higher court, No. 2 DGM, for the arrest warrant.

Yuksel has charged Gülen with setting up organizations intended to divide the country, in breach of organizations intended to divide the country, in breach of Turkish Penal Code (TCK) Articles 312 and 313.

Under the law, Istanbul DGM will have to decide on the lawyers' appeal within three days, but officials say that it might take longer than three days to finish the file, which consists of 12 separate dossiers. 08.24.2000