Turkish Crackdown on Religious Groups ‘Part of a Dangerous Transformation’

The Turkish authorities’ crackdown on the Suleymancilar is about more than the fate of the country’s biggest and wealthiest Sunni religious community. It is about extinguishing all forms of political and social autonomy outside of the control of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, claims Salim Cevik of the Berlin-based German Institute for International and Security Affairs, SWP. Since August 13, prosecutors have repeatedly targeted the Suleymancilar leader, members and affiliated companies with allegations of organised crime, money laundering, fraud and tax evasion. So far, 92 people have been detained, 32 of whom have been officially placed under arrest, including leader Alihan Kuris. The context is one of mounting pressure on opposition political parties, the municipalities they run, and other independent centres of power or social influence, raising fears that the Suleymancilar may face the same fate as the Gulen movement, dismantled following a failed 2016 coup amid a wave of arrests and imprisonment. Subscribe to Balkan Insight Premium to read the full article. Please login to your account below if you are already a Premium Subscriber. Buy Premium Subscription Our Premium Service gives you full access to all content published on BalkanInsight.com, including analyses, investigations, comments, interviews and more. Choose your subscription today and get unparalleled in-depth coverage of the Southern and Eastern Europe. Buy Premium Subscription If you have trouble logging in or any other questions regarding you account, please contact us