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Afghan Turk CAG Educational NGO

After Yearlong Struggle, Turkey’s Crackdown Reaches Afghan Schools

Turkey’s global purge and the crackdown on Gulen-affiliated schools never show signs of abating. The latest attempt took place in Afghanistan on Sunday, with all the hallmarks of previous ones already displayed in various times in Turkey or other countries.

Early on Sunday, officials linked with Turkey’s state-run Maarif Foundation took control of two schools in Herat province of Afghanistan. In a submission to unyielding demands from Ankara, the Afghan Education Ministry already relinquished the control of a number of private Afghan-Turkish schools affiliated with the Gulen Movement to Ankara-backed Maarif Foundation earlier this year.

The decision set off a yearlong showdown between new officials and the families of students who were adamantly opposed to any takeover of the schools by Ankara.

Previous attempts to run schools hit a snag after families’ unflinching and stubborn resistance. But this Sunday, Maarif-linked officials came to the school, touching off a new episode of clashes between families and the Afghan authorities.

While Turkey’s efforts to seize Gulen-affiliated schools across the world mostly took place without much fuss, things in Afghanistan developed differently as families vowed to fight against the seizure as long as possible within their capacity.

The Sunday takeover resulted in a number of brief detentions, local media reported. Police and security forces laid a siege to all-girls and all-boys schools in Herat. A Turkish official working for
Afghan-Turkish school network divulged details of how the events transpired in schools with media.

Police blocked access to schools, assembled students to a gathering point and seized their cellphones to restrict diffusion of the news throughout media. They detained some teachers and students who attempted to resist those attempts.

When news of the crackdown filtered through social media and the local community, parents of students began to amass outside schools. The committee of student families was summoned by the provincial education bureau of the Afghan government in Herat for consultations and briefing. An official who talked to AST on the condition of anonymity claimed that the summoning served as a distraction as Afghan authorities descended on one of the schools’ principal office at the same time to finalize the management change.

They even held a symbolic ceremony for the commencement of new administrators. When police and security forces left the school, graduates, students and a group of families forced the newly installed Maarif officials out of the school after a brief scuffle.

Maarif directors took refuge in armed vehicles of Afghan security forces outside one of the schools. A melee followed thereafter as graduated schools displayed their fury against the takeover of the school.

This invited a large force of reinforcements as top education official in Herat sought new forces to break up the protest and suppress the resistance by families. The deployment of additional police forces within school sparked some clashes. The police forcefully detained many students.

As things escalated into some violent showdown, more than 400 people assembled outside the school to demand the release of detained students.

So far now, no Turkish teachers were taken into custody, something that always occurred in other countries where such school takeovers took place.

In first official remarks on the incident, Herat Governor’s Spokesman Jelani Farhad confirmed that security forces carried out a court order against Gulen-linked schools. He also acknowledged that the raid was conducted to change the school director.

But the official denied any wrongdoing and insisted that the whole takeover took place as part of an official agreement between the governments Afghanistan and Turkey.

Afghan-Turk Cag Educational (ATCE), an NGO that previously ran the schools, condemned the police raid, portraying it as a move incompatible with civil law, constitution, the criminal code of the country, not to speak of international norms.

Turkey’s yearlong efforts were repeatedly foiled by a group of determinant families. The attitude displayed by student parents and NGOs defending education rights of the Afghan people offer some form of a solace in a country where civil society barely exists. In a repudiation of the perception that civil society is just a letter on paper, devoid of any substance, in Afghanistan, the families pledged to prolong their fight against Maarif’s brazen takeover.

A large-scale demonstration is expected to take place on Monday. Afghanistan, which goes through a decades-long war between Western-backed government forces and a resurgent Taliban, suffers a shortage of teachers and education facilities. In the face of depleted sources and tremendous hardships, the last thing Kabul needs is to alienate a group of volunteers and NGOs which, for their unswerving commitment to Afghan people, did not leave the country even in the face of a protracted and deadly war. Kabul should return the favor by ignoring Turkey’s norm-defying demand for the takeover of the schools, which have become beacons of success and advanced education.

We urge everyone to take action. Express your views or send attached letter or your own letter to following addresses:

You can find a sample letter at the following link.

https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Letter_to_officials_erdogans_long_arm_in_afghanistan.pdf

You can find your U.S Senator at the following link.

https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

You can find your U.S Representatives at the link.

https://www.house.gov/representatives

1) Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, U.S. Helsinki Commission
Phone: 202-225-1901
Fax: 202-226-4199
Email: INFO@CSCE.GOV
Twitter: @HelsinkiComm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helsinkicommission/

Chairman: Senator Roger F. Wicker
Address and Contact:
555 Dirksen 555 Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
Main: (202) 224-6253 |Fax: (202) 228-0378 | Twitter: @SenatorWicker
Email: senator@wicker.senate.gov

Co-Chairman: Representative Christopher H. Smith
Washington DC Office: 2373 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3765 | Fax: (202) 225-7768 | Twitter: @RepChrisSmith
https://chrissmith.house.gov/contact/zipauth.htm

2) Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
Phone: +1 (202) 225-3599
Fax: +1 (202) 226-5887
Email: TLHRC@mail.house.gov
Twitter: @TLHumanRights

3) Congressional Afghan Caucus
Phone: +1 (202) 225-2411
Fax: +1 (202) 225-2013
Federal Caucus Member: Pete King, pete.king@mail.house.gov,
Federal Caucus Member: Bill Pascrell, bill.pascrell@mail.house.gov

4) United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC)
Phone: (+41) 22 917 9656
Email: civilsociety@ohchr.org
Twitter: @UN_HRC
Website: www.ohchr.org/hrc

5) U.S. Department of State
Phone: (202) 647-6575
Email: https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform
Twitter: @StateDept
Website: https://www.state.gov/

6) Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States
Phone: 202-456-6213
Email: vice.president@whitehouse.gov
Twitter: @VP

7) Senator Cory Booker
Phone: (202) 224-3224
Fax: (202) 224-8378
Email: https://www.booker.senate.gov/?p=contact
Twitter:@SenBooker

AFGHANISTAN

1) President Ashraf Ghani
Twitter: @ashrafghani
Phone: 0202104444,
0202104445
Hamdullah Mohib, National Security Advisor (Former Afghanistan’s Ambassador to the United
States)
Twitter: @hmohib

2) Shah Hussain Murtazawi,
Acting Spokesperson for President’s Office
Phone: +93 (0) 728 998 907
Email: murtazawi84@yahoo.com

3) Salahuddin Rabbani. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Address: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan,
Malek Asghar St. Kabul, Afghanistan
Phone: 0093 (0) 20 2100372,
0093 (0) 20 2100371
Email: info@mfa.af
Twitter: @mfa_afghanistan http://mfa.gov.af/en/form/contactus

4) Hamdullah Mohib, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to the United States
Address: Embassy of Afghanistan, 2341 Wyoming Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008 Phone:
202-483-6410
Fax: 202-483-6488
Info@afghanembassy.us

Contact Us

5) Mahmoud SAIKAL, Ambassador and Permanent Representative Permanent Mission of
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New York Address: 633 Third Avenue Floor 27A, New York,
NY 10017
Phone: 212-972 1212
Fax: 212-972 1216
@AfghanMissionUN
info@afghanistan-un.org

6) U.S. Embassy Kabul
Phone: (00 93) (0)700-10-8000
Fax: (00 93) (0)700-108-564 @USEmbassyKabul
KabulACS@state.gov

7) DR. ABDULLAH ABDULLAH(CEO)
Special Assistant Ahmet Zahit Anwari
0093700291626
0093202106803
a.z.anwari@ceo.gov.af
Sao@ceo.gov.af

8) Chief of Staff Abdul Kahar Abed
0093744200000
0093700281980
abed.qahar@gmail.com

9) Spoke person
Dr. Mucibur Rahman Rahimi
PH: 0093702103333
mujib.rahimi@ceo.af

10) Ministry of Foreign Affairs

0093202100372
0093202100371
Info@mfa.af

Social media posts on the raid:

HASHTAG
#DoNotPoliticizeAfghanSchools

 


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Urgent action about detainments of six Turkish educationists in Moldova

On September 6, 2018 six Turkish nationals in Moldova were detained. SIS agents of Moldova conducted the detainment of Vice Director and five educationists in Orizont Moldovan-Turkish Educational Institutions early hours in the morning. The detainees’ names were affirmed as Riza Dogan, Hasan Karacaoglu, Yasin Ozdil, Mujdat Celebi, Huseyin Bayraktar and Feridun Tufekci. The wife of Hasan Karacaoglu, the Vice director, stated that they have been living in Moldova for 20 years. Except Huseyin Bayraktar, five of the detainees are asylum seekers who are supposed to be granted by the end of September.

Additionally; the director of Orizont Schools, Turgay Sen, was detained without
any explanation in March 2018 and released in April after applying for asylum.

It is internationally known that Turkish government tracks the Gulen followers or sympathizers who have been targeted oppressively since the failed coup attempt. Abductions, detainments and deportations take place in such countries where rule of law and democracy are not applied. And Turkish government urges those countries to implement these illegal actions. Given the recent abduction cases in different countries such as Mongolia, Kosovo, Ukraine, Malaysia, Kirghizistan, Pakistan and also threats of deportation to Turkey where a fair trial is not likely nowadays and there is fear of torture; an urgent action to release these people and to provide protection for them is extremely vital.

As reported by families of detainees and local media resources, the lawyers are not allowed to communicate with them. Amnesty International Moldova Director Cristina Pereteatcu stated that a possible deportation would be taken into consideration. It was also reported that the operation was conducted by SIS Antiterror agents which means judicial authorities are not involved in the case. Whereabouts of detainees is still unknown. The Minister of Justice stated that Moldova could be exposed to penalty by ECHR because of the detainment and possible deportation of Turkish educationists.

We write you today to emphasize our great concern about the detainment and prospective extradition of these six educationists and also to request to take urgent action from the Government of Moldova to release and provide protection of human rights of them along with all other Hizmet movement affiliated people.

Sincerely,

Download sample statement as a word document:
https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Moldova-case.docx

Download AST statement signed by AST spokesperson Hafsa Yildiz as a pdf document:
https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Moldova-case.pdf

Download Letter of the European Parliament Members as a pdf document:
https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/letter-for-co-signature-Turkish-teachers-deported.pdf

Download Letter of the Arrested Lawyers Initiative as a pdf document:
https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/LETTER.pdf

Download Letter of the London Advocacy Group as a word document:
https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Turkish-regime-continues-with-the-witch-hunt-in-Moldova.docx

We urge everyone to take action. Express your views or send attached statement to following addresses:

1) Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, U.S. Helsinki Commission
Phone: 202-225-1901
Fax: 202-226-4199
Email: INFO@CSCE.GOV
Twitter: @HelsinkiComm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helsinkicommission/

Chairman: Senator Roger F. Wicker
Address and Contact:
555 Dirksen 555 Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
Main: (202) 224-6253 |Fax: (202) 228-0378 | Twitter: @SenatorWicker
Email: senator@wicker.senate.gov

Co-Chairman: Representative Christopher H. Smith
Washington DC Office: 2373 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3765 | Fax: (202) 225-7768 | Twitter: @RepChrisSmith
https://chrissmith.house.gov/contact/zipauth.htm

2) Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
Phone: +1 (202) 225-3599
Fax: +1 (202) 226-5887
Email: TLHRC@mail.house.gov
Twitter: @TLHumanRights

3) United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC)
Phone: (+41) 22 917 9656
Email: civilsociety@ohchr.org
Twitter: @UN_HRC
Website: www.ohchr.org/hrc

4) The European Court of Human Rights Council of Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg cedex
Phone: +33 (0)3 88 41 20 18
Fax: +33 (0)3 88 41 27 30

Mr. Günter SCHIRMER
Head of the Secretariat
Phone: +33/3 88.41.2809
Email: guenter.schirmer@coe.int

5) U.S. Department of State
Phone: (202) 647-6575
Email: https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform
Twitter: @StateDept
Website: https://www.state.gov/

6) Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States
Phone: 202-456-6213
Email: vice.president@whitehouse.gov
Twitter: @VP

7) Senator Cory Booker
Phone: (202) 224-3224
Fax: (202) 224-8378
Email: https://www.booker.senate.gov/?p=contact
Twitter:@SenBooker

8) Moldova Contacts

petitii@prm.md ( Moldova President – Petitions Department )

secdep@mfa.md ( Foreign Affairs )

secretariat@justice.gov.md (Minister of Justice )

https://gov.md/en/content/write-prime-minister ( prime minister link to e-mail )

washington@mfa.md ( Moldova Embassy in U.S.)

9) Permanent Mission of the Republic of Moldova to the United Nations

Phone: (212) 447-1867
Fax: (212) 447-4067
E-mail: NEW-YORK@mfa.md ,
unmoldova@mfa.md(preferred)

News articles on the raid:

https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/09/06/world/europe/06reuters-moldova-turkey

http://protv.md/stiri/actualitate/directul-liceului-moldo-turc-orizont-si-alte-cinci-persoane-retinute—2338911

https://www.ziarulnational.md/ultima-ora-cinci-angajati-ai-retelei-de-licee-orizont-din-r-moldova-retinuti-in-aceasta-dimineata-fie-de-acasa-fie-in-timp-ce-se-indreptau-spre-scoala-la-unii-au-daramat-usa-de-la-apartamente-nimeni-nu-stie-unde-i-au-dus/

http://www.tr724.com/insan-kacirma-simdi-de-moldovada

https://dtj-online.de/entfuehrung-von-bildungsaktivisten-in-moldawien-111876

http://proderechos.org/el-largo-brazo-de-erdogan-se-extiende-a-europa

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/six-turkish-professors-detained-by-moldovan-secret-services-09-06-2018

https://unimedia.info/stiri/pas–despre-retinerea-celor-sase-persoane-de-la-liceul-orizont-statul-republica-moldova-a-decis–in-schimbul-banilor-pentru-reconstructia-cladirii-presedintelui—sa-calce-in-picioare-drepturile-omului-161125

https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/en/originals/2018/09/turkish-teachers-detained-moldova-gulen

http://www.jurnal.md/ro/news/0d7c66fbbbe738e5/amnesty-despre-retinerile-ilicite-de-la-orizont-sis-expune-acesti-oameni-unui-pericol-iminent-de-tortura.html

Social media posts on the raid:

Intreaga conducere a Liceului “Orizont” din Chisinau (6 persoane), liceu apartinand de reteaua liceelor “Lumina”,…

Posted by Rares Bogdan on Thursday, September 6, 2018

Poftim! retinerea unuia din directorii liceului "Orizont", impreuna cu copilul lui.

Posted by Cristina Pereteatcu on Wednesday, September 5, 2018

La Aeroport cerem stoparea vânzărilor de oameni!

Posted by Partidul Acțiune și Solidaritate on Thursday, September 6, 2018

 

Videos on the abduction of Teachers in Moldova:

Moldovian Student who is in protests at the Airport

Moldovian student who was in the same car when the kidnapping happened

Set him free!! call, from Riza Dogan’s kids

Set him free!! call, from Yasin Ozdil’s daughter

Moldovian parent explain the abduction of Turkish teachers

Set him free!! call, from the daughter

 


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Afghan security forces raided Afghan-Turk High School at the request of Turkish government

Afghan-Turk Boys High School in Shibirghan was raided by members of the Afghan security forces under the command of Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dostum, controversial First Vice President of Afghanistan, early July 28,2018 morning. Afghan security forces detained Turkish teachers, dozens of students and their parents in order to seize the school at the request of the Turkish government.

Local sources indicate that the school has been surrounded and shut down by the militias of the Dostum. The school administration notes that no legal justification has been provided. Governor of Jowzjan province and the police chief joined the raid at 6:00 AM local time.

The Turkish government has pressured the government of Afghanistan to either shut down or transfer ownership of the Afghan-Turk Schools to the Maarif Foundation which is affiliated to and supported by the Turkish government. The Afghan-Turk schools were founded by Gulen inspired Turkish businessmen and teachers in 1995. Despite all the difficulties in the region, the schools have continued to maintain its services believing that education is the only way to overcome those difficulties. Gulen Movement affiliated schools in Afghanistan operated under Afghan-Turk ÇAĞ Educational NGO, have won 875 awards in international science Olympiads from 2003 through 2016 — 278 gold, 287 silver, and 310 bronze medals.

We would like to emphasize that this raid is not an isolated incident. Turkish officials and the Turkish Embassy in Kabul have continuously targeted the schools and its staff over the past few years. The unlawful and politically motivated measures taken within recent months against the Afghan-Turk Schools have been perpetuated by the Turkish government.

It is apparent that the prior abductions and human rights violations by the Turkish government would conclude with taking over the schools abroad and asking extraditions of all the Turkish teachers in these schools to Turkey.

As the Advocates of Silenced Turkey, we strongly request your assistance to remind the Afghan authorities to respect democratic values and resist the pressures from Turkey. We urge immediate and necessary action to stop the crackdown on the Afghan-Turk schools.

Download sample statement as a word document:
https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AST_Letter_Afghan-Turk-school-raid.docx

Download AST statement signed by AST spokesperson Hafsa Yildiz as a pdf document:
https://silencedturkey.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AST_Letter_Afghan-Turk-school-raid.pdf

We urge everyone to take action. Express your views or send attached statement to following addresses:

1) Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, U.S. Helsinki Commission
Phone: 202-225-1901
Fax: 202-226-4199
Email: INFO@CSCE.GOV
Twitter: @HelsinkiComm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helsinkicommission/

Chairman: Senator Roger F. Wicker
Address and Contact:
555 Dirksen 555 Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
Main: (202) 224-6253 |Fax: (202) 228-0378 | Twitter: @SenatorWicker
Email: senator@wicker.senate.gov

Co-Chairman: Representative Christopher H. Smith
Washington DC Office: 2373 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3765 | Fax: (202) 225-7768 | Twitter: @RepChrisSmith
https://chrissmith.house.gov/contact/zipauth.htm

2) Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
Phone: +1 (202) 225-3599
Fax: +1 (202) 226-5887
Email: TLHRC@mail.house.gov
Twitter: @TLHumanRights

3) Congressional Afghan Caucus
Phone: +1 (202) 225-2411
Fax: +1 (202) 225-2013
Federal Caucus Member: Pete King, pete.king@mail.house.gov,
Federal Caucus Member: Bill Pascrell, bill.pascrell@mail.house.gov

4) United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC)
Phone: (+41) 22 917 9656
Email: civilsociety@ohchr.org
Twitter: @UN_HRC
Website: www.ohchr.org/hrc

5) The European Court of Human Rights Council of Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg cedex
Phone: +33 (0)3 88 41 20 18
Fax: +33 (0)3 88 41 27 30

Mr. Günter SCHIRMER
Head of the Secretariat
Phone: +33/3 88.41.2809
Email: guenter.schirmer@coe.int

6) U.S. Department of State
Phone: (202) 647-6575
Email: https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform
Twitter: @StateDept
Website: https://www.state.gov/

7) Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States
Phone: 202-456-6213
Email: vice.president@whitehouse.gov
Twitter: @VP

8) Senator Cory Booker
Phone: (202) 224-3224
Fax: (202) 224-8378
Email: https://www.booker.senate.gov/?p=contact
Twitter:@SenBooker

News articles on the raid:

https://dtj-online.de/afghanistan-polizei-will-hizmet-schule-einnehmen-111781

https://stockholmcf.org/afghan-security-forces-raided-afghan-turk-boys-high-school-in-shibirghan/

https://turkeypurge.com/afghan-police-wait-outside-gulen-affiliated-high-school-in-shibirghan-to-detain-teachers-at-turkeys-request

Social media posts on the raid:

ی جوزجان خون آلود شدن صورت یکتن از اولیای شاگردان توسط نیرو های امنیتی مربوط به والی

در یورش امروز نیرو های امنیتی مربوط به والی جوزجان به مکتب افغان-ترک شبرغان، در اثر سنگ های که از بواسطه موتر آبپاش به صورت یکتن از والدین برخورد نمود، صورت ایشان خون آلود شد.ARG – ارگAshraf GhaniDr. Abdullah Abdullahریاست عمومی دفتر مقام عالی ریاست جمهوریریاست اجراییه جمهوری اسلامی افغانستاندفتر شورای امنیت ملیوزارت امور داخله – د کورنیو چارو وزارتMohammad Haneef AtmarUNICEF Afghanistanلوی څارنوالی – AGODirectorate of NGOs ریاست انجوها وزارت اقتصادUNHCR, the UN Refugee AgencyBBC NewsThe New York TimesReutersWashington PostCNN International

Posted by QATRA TV AF on Saturday, July 28, 2018

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=441994122952060&id=101711293647013

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=441928086291997&id=101711293647013

شکستاندن دروازه مکتب افغان-ترک توسط نیرو های امنیتی مربوط به والی جوزجان

شکستاندن دروازه مکتب افغان-ترک شبرغان توسط نیرو های امنیتی مربوط به والی جوزجانARG – ارگAshraf GhaniDr. Abdullah Abdullahریاست عمومی دفتر مقام عالی ریاست جمهوریریاست اجراییه جمهوری اسلامی افغانستاندفتر شورای امنیت ملیوزارت امور داخله – د کورنیو چارو وزارتMohammad Haneef AtmarUNICEF Afghanistanلوی څارنوالی – AGODirectorate of NGOs ریاست انجوها وزارت اقتصادUNHCR, the UN Refugee AgencyBBC NewsThe New York TimesReutersWashington PostCNN International

Posted by QATRA TV AF on Saturday, July 28, 2018

Previous AST coverage on Afghan-Turk schools:

https://silencedturkey.org/turkish_teachers_afghanistan

https://silencedturkey.org/int-witch-hunt-afghan-turkish-teachers

https://silencedturkey.org/fate-of-four-afghan-turk-teachers-remains-uncertain

https://silencedturkey.org/missing-teachers-in-afghanistan

 


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An int’l witch-hunt? ‘Four teachers working in the Afghan-Turkish schools were detained’

One Afghan and three Turkish teachers linked to the faith-based Gülen movement were detained by Afghan intelligence officials on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

The move against Afghan Turk CAG Educational NGO (ATCE), the organization that runs the schools, appeared to be part of a witch-hunt being waged on followers of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, accused by the Turkish government of masterminding a coup attempt in July 2016.

The ATCE, which says it is an independent organization, runs schools in several cities including the capital, Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar and Herat and has been in Afghanistan since 1995.

“Around 7 am, four of our teachers traveling in two different cars were picked up by [Afghan intelligence],” said ATCE Chairman Numan Erdoğan.

Other intelligence officials later went to the group’s girls school nearby looking for another teacher, he said.

He said the men presented themselves as members of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghanistan’s intelligence agency, according to Reuters.

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Afghanistan’s Intelligence Agency Released Four Teachers of Afghan-Turk School

NDS Releases Four Teachers of Afghan-Turk School
“Afghanistan’s intelligence agency has released four teachers of Afghan-Turk School including three Turkish and one Afghan national in Kabul, officials confirmed on Sunday. The Attorney General’s Office, however, did not elaborate on the reasons behind the detention of the teachers, but stressed that the released individuals will be under “serious” supervision of the security forces.”
https://ariananews.af/nds-releases-four-teachers-of-afghan-turk-school/

NEWS ARTICLES ON THIS SUBJECT:

http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/fate-two-turkish-nationals-unknown
Fate of Two Turkish Nationals Unknown
The fate of two teachers – both Turkish nationals – of the Afghan-Turk school in Kabul who were detained by the National Directorate of Security (NDS) last week, remains unknown.Sources say the government has confiscated the passports of family members of the two teachers. Meanwhile, the Attorney General Office (AGO) said three teachers of Afghan-Turk schools, two Turks and one Afghan national, were freed on Sunday. Earlier the Turkish government had urged Afghanistan to hand over the teachers, but the AGO said the two Turks and one Afghan national who were freed are not on Turkish government’s list. “An order has been issued to free them and make arrangements for their safe and secure release,” AGO spokesman Jamshed Rasuli said. Parents of Afghan-Turk students have meanwhile asked the Afghan government to make clear for what allegations the teachers were detained and also to respond to questions on why the security forces raided on an Afghan-Turk school in Kabul. “We want the government to investigate NDS’s raid on an Afghan-Turk female school in Kabul,” Sediqullah Tawhidi, a member of Afghan-Turk students’ parents’ committee, said. The AGO said they are investigating the NDS raid on the Afghan-Turk school in Kabul. “The raid of the forces is under investigations to figure out if their actions were in line with the law or not,” Rasuli added.

http://ariananews.af/committee-lodges-complaint-to-ago-on-afghan-turk-school-raid-case/
Committee Lodges Complaint to AGO on Afghan-Turk School Raid Case
“The Afghan-Turk Students’ Parents Committee on Saturday submitted its complaint to the Attorney General Office over the “illegal” action of the security forces against the school in Kabul. The parents of students who were gathered at the Attorney General’s Office, urged investigation into the security forces’ raid on Afghan-Turk Girls school in Kabul.“We came here to submit our [complaint] letter, so the institutions which have taken this illegal action, get investigated,” said Yusuf Pashtun, Head of the Afghan-Turk Students’ Parents Committee.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZkgkin4ksc&feature=youtu.be
An int’l witch-hunt? ‘Four teachers working in the Afghan-Turkish schools were detained’

http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/security-forces-detain-four-afghan-turk-school-teachers
Security Forces Detain Four Afghan-Turk School Teachers
Afghan security forces raided an Afghan-Turk female high school in Taimani area in Kabul on Tuesday evening and surrounded the school for at least three hours, students claimed.
“The National Directorate of Security operatives detained four teachers today (Tuesday) morning, who were on their way to an Afghan-Turk high school. We were informed that they were kidnapped. We thought the country’s enemies may have abducted them, but later we found out that the officers of the National Directorate Security have detained them,” said Yusuf Pashtun, member of the Afghan-Turk students’ parents association”

http://www.tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan/parents-afghan-turk-students-lodge-complaint-against-nds
Parents Of Afghan-Turk Students To Lodge Complaint Against NDS
“Students’ parents said they will lodge complaint at the Attorney General’s Office against the National Directorate of Security (NDS) over detaining the teachers of Afghan-Turk schools.President Ghani’s spokesman says they apologize if the security forces’ act has worried the students or their parents. It is said that if Afghan government handover these individuals to Turkish government, it will be a move which happens for the first time in the country and will be an unprecedented act. Even at the end of the Second World War, Afghanistan did not accept to handover Nazi Germany diplomats to the conquerors of the war.”

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-afghanistan-turkey/turkish-teachers-linked-to-erdogan-foe-detained-in-afghanistan-idUKKBN1E621Z?il=0
Turkish teachers linked to Erdogan foe detained in Afghanistan
“One Afghan and three Turkish teachers linked to an organisation regarded with suspicion by the Turkish government were detained by Afghan intelligence officials on Tuesday, the organisation’s head said.The move against Afghan Turk CAG Educational NGO (ATCE), the body that runs the schools, appeared to be part of a Turkish campaign against followers of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric it accuses of being behind a coup attempt in July 2016 aimed at ousting President Tayyip Erdogan.ATCE, which says it is an independent organisation, runs schools in several cities including the capital, Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar and Herat and has been in Afghanistan since 1995.”

http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/fate-four-afghan-turk-teachers-remains-uncertain
Fate of Four Afghan-Turk Teachers Remains Uncertain After Raid by National Directorate of Security
Parents of Afghan-Turk school on Wednesday said the fate of the four teachers of Afghan-Turk girls school who have been held by the National Directorate of Security (NDS), is unknown. The NDS officials do not want to comment on the issue. Meanwhile, former government officials have strongly criticized last night’s raid by the security forces on the school, calling it a sort of “political levy” paid by the Afghan government to the Turkish government.They said that the raid by the NDS was totally against the law and that the government is exploiting the educational institution. But deputy presidential spokesman has said that the move was not politically motived and said it is legal action.Reacting to the raid, former NDS chief has described the move unprecedented in recent years. He said that move was a shame for the government. Former government officials have said that the government leaders are using the security forces as tools for their political objectives. “It was a politically motivated and unethical move,” said former deputy minister of education Sediq Patman. Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, have said that a court in Turkey had ordered the arrest of three teachers of the Afghan-Turk schools, including a Turkish restaurant owner in Kabul.The Turkish embassy in Kabul reportedly informed the Afghan government about the decision in a letter.The Turkish government has asked the Afghan government to hand over these individuals to Turkey. But there is no an agreement between Afghanistan and Turkey about the extradition of individuals between the two countries. Amid speculation about the link between the raid and President Ashraf Ghani’s visit to Turkey, the presidential palace has said that the move was not linked to the trip of the president. It was action taken against some suspects. Neither the NDS nor the presidential palace is ready to comment on the fate of the teachers.But documents seen by TOLOnews reveal that the United Nations has provided asylum to one of the Turkish teachers currently in the detention of the NDS and has asked for the prevention of his extradition to Turkey.“It is a political and intelligence move which is moved forward by a certain team inside the national unity government to offer it as levy and bribe to Mr. Erdogan of Turkey,” said political analyst Asif Ashna. “The Afghan government wants to destroy the secure place of general Dostum by its move on the girls’ hostel of Afghan-Turk school and to gain the satisfaction of the Turkish republic because the Turks want these schools to be under their control,” said MP Arif Rahmani.

https://www.rt.com/newsline/412881-afghanistan-turkish-teachers-gulen/
Afghan officials detain Turkish teachers ‘linked to Gulen’ – report
“One Afghan and three Turkish teachers linked to an organization regarded with suspicion by the Turkish government were detained by Afghan intelligence officials on Tuesday, according to the head of Afghan Turk CAG Educational NGO. The move against ATCE, the body that runs the schools, appeared to be part of a Turkish campaign against followers of Fethullah Gulen, a US-based cleric it accuses of being behind a coup attempt in July 2016, Reuters said. ATCE says it is an independent organization which runs schools in Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar and Herat, and has been in Afghanistan since 1995. Numan Erdogan, the chairman of ATCE, said the men who detained the teachers presented themselves as members of the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan’s intelligence agency. President Ashraf Ghani was on his way to Istanbul on Tuesday to attend the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Summit.”

https://www.bbc.com/persian/amp/afghanistan-42328644

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Ex-NDS chief Amrullah Saleh’s strict reaction regarding police operation on the girl’s high school hostel:
“I condemn the attack on Afghan Turk girls high school, girls hostel and attempt of searching this dignified institution by the National Unity Government without any court command, legal steps or any proper legal documents. The Last time when the police forces had attacked such a hostel and our people were evident of such an event, was the first years of the Soviet occupation in which some girl students from Ayesha Durranai school were martyred and injured. From the last forty year, it’s the second time in which girls school is attacked. If there was any report on suspicious activities of someone, the responsible people should have politely requested the school administration to cooperate with them.
This institution has the proud of educating and empowering thousands of sons of this land. With operating in such a brutal way, the NUG has required to make a breaking news so that they could make a certain chain happy in the outside of our country.
In the end of WWII(world war 2), Afghanistan was even not ready to forcefully deport the Nazi diplomats and succeeded to keep it’s dignity and culture. For sure this will be a black stain engraved on the face the current government for a long time.
All of my children and descendants have studied from these schools and as one of the thousand parents, I am thankful to them.”

https://www.facebook.com/QatraTv/videos/320780471740093/
Dr. Jahantab:
“I want to refer to the main concept of the two verses that I mentioned before, it says that the problems you have In Turkey, solve them there, don’t bring them to the schools inside Afghanistan. The hadith that I read have a conceptual message to you, the reporters: cover this program, this will be the biggest jihad for you. As a PhD holder in Law and shariah, I want to recommend you to give it a vast coverage, this coverage may be the cause of your entry to Jannah. Third I am proud of my MP brother Mr. Osuli, I am proud of teacher Mr. Dadras and I am proud of Mr. Mnawi. They said the things that every Muslim should be proud of them. The thing that happened yesterday was not an ordinary situation, it hasn’t happened in the history of Afghanistan. The Pashtun tribe Khogyanai is popular for the story that a pig had entered their area and they didn’t give it to anyone else. If you read the history of king Mahmood Ghaznavi, once upon a time he had gone for a hunt, he hunts a deer but the deer goes to the land of a shepherd and falls there, the king goes to pick up the deer but the shepherd says that now the deer is in his territory and he cannot give it. The king says that I am sultan Mahmood but the shepherd denies even if it is the king. And offers the king that there are many sheep take as much as you can but don’t touch the deer. Mr mMnawi referred to some very critical truths, the thing that happened yesterday, me, as a PhD in law and sharia, from the point of Islamic views Quran, hadiths and from the point of international law and human rights the crime that occurred yesterday can be the reason for the resignation of President Ghani, CEO Abdullah Abdullah and the current government, the NDS and even the present Education minister Mr. Shinwari . Although he is a kind and brave person, but today he talked in a very week way. Respected Minister, hang the flag in a half altitude because today a historical fault happened by the government.”

https://www.facebook.com/QatraTv/videos/320793458405461/
Abdul Shakoor Daadras, Law specialist and Speaker of the Afghan Turk Parent’s Committee:
“Our president is defending Islam and defending the rights of Quds in Palestine but here people are attacking innocent girl’s hostel in Afghanistan! Dear president, we talked to all your authorities yesterday. I do not know how they can say that they are not aware of anything. We talked to the head of NDS but he does not know what has happened to our four teachers. He is not sure if ISIS has kidnapped them or Alqaeda has taken them. We also talked commander of Kabul city’s security office. He was totally unaware. This is strange! No one knows anything about our four teachers. Everyone is unaware!Maybe one day we all will drown and authorities are unaware and maybe one day people will break your palace and still authorities are unaware. We know the reason why all this happened. The reason is because your authorities want to have at least a gift for Turkish government and for the gift security officers played with Afghanistan’s honor, Afghan people’s honor, Muslim people’s honor and Law’s honor. This is a very big shame!
I appreciate the acting Minister of Education for joining us today. Thank you for joining the community of education and community of cultural people today. We are so happy for your existence here.
I wish you could see here last night. Trust me even Hitler’s troops had not done this kind of action. Even if Hitler’s most cruel and tyrant commanders saw that situation, they would retreat.
Afghan Girls are our country’s honor. In current situation of Afghanistan that most of girls are not allowed to go to school, these girls have taken permission from their families to study in this school and hostel. But our government comes to their hostel for searching at night and this is not true in any country in the world. But they call it Islam, Law, Honor, and security.
They are saying that these teachers who are cordially serving our country with offering education are terrorist! Turkish government has suddenly seen a dream that Afghan Turkish schools have terrorists in them. This is a big shame!
If this is the case, then Turkish intelligence is very weak, Intelligence of the world is very weak and Afghanistan’s Intelligence has also problems. Afghan Turkish schools were offering education when Mr Atmar was Minister of Education. They were in Shahe do shamshera, just 1 KM away from presidential palace. Previously were they not aware what kind of people were working in this NGO? Was the presidential palace also not aware about them? If this is the case then it means all our authorities are unaware of everything in Afghanistan.
We want the answer for our questions. We want them to answer why they have kidnapped our teachers and attacked our school. If they do not answer and we cannot defend these schools, then we are only wasting everyone’s time here. We want Prosecutors office to answer us. We want to know who these guys were who attacked the school. They did not have ID and they also did not show us any official paper. These guys must be identified, submitted to court and all details must be shared with media.
Not only those who attacked this school but also those who ordered them to attack these innocent girls’ school at night, scare to them to death, watch them shouting and crying.
This is a very big shame!
All together with one voice we hardly condemn this attack that was opposite to our culture. We want to see the attackers in prison immediately otherwise it means there is no jurisdiction of law in our country.
Secondly I want to say that this is my fortieth year that I have been doing legal works and still I have not seen this kind of arresting. According to our rules when someone is arrested, at least their family should be informed but no one has been informed about our teachers yet. So it means this is not a legal arresting. Yesterday’s attacks were exactly same as those people’s attacks who do not accept any rules and regulations in the world.
It is enough!
We have been deceived for more than nine months. We were told that government would not take any action against these schools without talking to us. But they talked to none of us before yesterday’s attacks. This is called deceiving and it is not allowed according to Islam and according to law
We want our four teachers to be released ASAP. If there is any authentic documents against them that are not fake documents bring them to us and prove them to the committee of students’ parents. We definitely accept the rules and regulations.
We want Prosecutors office to submit this case to court and we want The NDS to release our teachers and apologize for what they have done!”

https://www.facebook.com/QatraTv/videos/320812508403556/
Fazal Ahmad manawi, EX-IEC chief (Independent Election Commission):
First of all I want to thank Mr. Osuli and Minister of Education Mr. Shinwari for joining us and are present here. There are persons who can take our voices to the certain authorities and I want to especially thank the media who had a very vast coverage and I hope this press conference would also have a wide range coverage. I will try to compress my speeches within the time that is given to me. In Quran there is a certain verse which says (talking abusive words, and abusing and making fun of is not a good deed). But when it comes to brutal and violent persons they could be given bad words by the innocent persons as they deserve it. Staying calm against oppression and cruelty is worse than the cruelty itself. And there is no cruelty worse then the one done with this school. Within my age I have been through many regimes but no regime has done such a cruel and voilent action. İts your fault that you accepted such a government, i know that you hadn’t chosen this government but it’s you who accepted this government. A government whose heads families are 95% out of the country, how can they know your feelings and what you want. They don’t have kindness, they don’t have enthusiasm and they don’t have empathy. Accepting 100s of suicides, blasts, kidnappings and voilences and find an amount of money to seek a better place for educating your child and they even don’t let this happen. The others talked about several issues but the thing they didn’t talk about is that the action which happened yesterday was a ( government kidnapping). The 134. Article of the constitution says that the discovery of crime should be done by police the investigation should be done by the prosecution office and the evidence, proved by the court. The NDS takes the teachers from the main road without any proper documents. Now you say is it an arrest or a kidnapping, for sure it’s kidnapping. And friends talk about the islamic point of the government, i am ready, if the heads of this government were able to recite fatiha in a right way, i will come and slaughter. Worse then that, in order to motivate people, they talk of Afghaniyet. İn the dictionary of afghans there is no such thing to disgrace your guest, and disguise the honor of daughters of this land. İt’s a shame that they use the Afghan word. And there is no such thing in Pashtunwali, the proud of Pashtuns is that they are hospitable. They lost their kingdom but did not deport or disrespect their guest. İ say that Leave the discussion of islam and sharia and law, this is not even present in the dictionary of social behavior. The things which i saw yesterday evening didn’t let me sleep the whole night. The weeping of the small girls standing there, the girls who were scared of the voilence and the scary people, in the safest place possible for a girl to think of. Every student thaught of being voilently tortured infront of their families, everyone was completely feared. Their family was also not able to sleep of the thaughts about their children. İ feel really confused and embarassed, but its really good to see the acting education minister mr. Shinwari among us.
At the first time of my formal job, my boss was a shinwari, in the court also my boss was Sheikh saib Shinwari. May he rest in peace, he was an honorable and a person ful of efforts. And i also believe in your honor, but i am embarassed that you are the education minister and there be a disgrace for the school and you stay silent against it. There is no worse historical crime than this. You are the first responsible of this issue. This doesn’t have to do anything with the parents of the students. The people have trusted you, and the government is created. The jobs are distributed, and you are given the responsibility of caring about the children of this nation. Representing all, first you had to raise your voice against this brutal actions. İ swear to god if for an hour i was the responsible of such a seat i would have taken this event to the high court. And this is a kidnapping and is destroying the constitution of Afghanistan. The Afghan constitution states that nobody is allowed to enter the personal premises of someone without legal permission. What kind of documents and proofs did they have in order to do such a brutal activity. I believe that Stanikzai, the current NDS head, is a muslim and faithful person. İf he had information about this and have given the permission for such an action, my trust is completely taken and changed. And trust me that there is no any further coward, dependent government in the whole history of Afghanistan. İf this agreement with the US is the presence of US forces here, we accept it. But if for the sake of the agreement with other countries we damage and disguise ourselves it means that neither ther government nor the people have the sound sense of patriotism. i want to satisfy you my dear daughters that there is no need of making slogans in order to express your feelings. Your feelings are already expressed. Mr. Akbar requested me to be patient and don’t be too much ful of emotions. But here emotions are to be used, Allah jj has given us in order to use them in the right place. So that the defence mechanism of the humans would be used in the right place. if this doesn’t give us the right defence mechanism, that will be the time where our humanism will be questioned.
Be sure that we won’t let to government to do such a disgrace action one more time. They are already shameful. There is no more embarrassing than this situation for this government. Mr. Ghani wanted to travel to Turkey with a trump card in hand. The president of Afghanistan claim himself as a father of own his nation but all of his actions are show off.
Today he took this trump card in his hand as a gift to the president of Turkey, tomorrow he will hand over all own his nation to the Trump. There are many things motions but time is limited, be sure that we will built walls from our bodies to protect you all teachers. Let the government we are weak. My last warning to the all the member of government starting from Ghani to NDS; if these situation happen again we won’t accept neither the police nor NDS as a national. For example when the military face of Egypt were ordered to shout or protestors by Hosni Mubarak but they didn’t accept his order and talk that they are children of Egyptian and we are too. We can’t shout own our nation. If you are national police and citizen of this nation. How could you enter the premises of girl’s hostel? How could you commit such rude brutal crime against own your daughter and sister.
Thus they have to immediately release the kidnapped teachers and excuse from teachers and students. If you have a proof then take to authority. And it should be investigate according to the constitution.
We will never let anyone take our educational institute to political era. You corrupted the election, we endured you robbed people’s many with different names. We endured BUT we won’t let you to steal our children’s knowledge.
You have the right to send your daughter to one of the best university in USA, and also you have to accept to send our children to an approximately fair institution inside the country. If they don’t release our teachers and they continue this kind of issues I request you without any emotional feelings go on strike and built tend in this cold weather and let the whole world see us. Then we will see the weather they kill us under the names of terrorist Talib, ISIS or anything else. They didn’t leave us any other option.

https://www.facebook.com/QatraTv/videos/320806715070802/
“As previously Mr. Pashton motioned there are many problem which people face in Afghanistan should be solved. It was not acceptable situation which is happened yesterday in girl’s high school for me as a representative of human right commission of Afghanistan. And all the students were in dorm during this issue. Especially the students who are living outside of the city they chosen to stay in this dormitory because of they believe it is one of the best safest place. In addition it is the best school in Afghanistan.
In this raid neither ministry of education nor administration of school have been informed. And again in this raid several students had been faint. A group of people in NDS have illegally entered the most valuable school of the country and this is not acceptable for Islam and afghan culture.
The whole people shouldn’t be judged because of one person’s sin if there is. There are many other ways! All the families were worried because of that issue. To separate out of this violent and fears among the students completely against the human rights. And we want this issue to be followed up seriously. It is an unfortunate mistake to say that I don’t know. I hope that the education should not be tooled for politics.
Because politics and politicians are changeable. We have a good religious with Turkey, and misunderstanding should be solved in diplomatic ways.
Teachers and students shouldn’t feel themselves frightened, scared and unsaved. And this problems have to be solved immediately. Teachers who are detained have to release as quick as possible.
The highest standard of education in this schools shouldn’t be effected negatively because of political issues. And I ask to minister of education to solve this problem as quick as possible. And he should make my sister (principle of girls high school) feel sound and safe to concentrate on her work.”

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=319916571826483&id=101711293647013

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STATEMENT ON MISSING TEACHERS IN AFGHANISTAN

The National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghan intelligence agency, abducted four teachers including one Afghan and three Turkish nationals from one of the schools run by the Afghan Turk CAG Educational NGO (ATCE) on 12 December 2017. Families and friends of the teachers have indicated they are very much worried that there has not been any sign regarding their whereabouts. The ATCE was founded by Gulen inspired Turkish businessmen and teachers and has been running several schools in different cities of Afghanistan since 1995. Despite all the difficulties in the region, the ATCE has continued to maintain its services believing that education is the only way to overcome those difficulties.

Former Deputy Minister of Education, Sediq Patman classified the situation as “politically motivated and unethical.” Former NDS chief has also defined the move as unprecedented in recent years, also as a shameful act for the government. According to former government officials, the raid by the NDS was illegal in the sense that the security forces have been used by the government leaders for political objectives. Despite these statements, there has not been an official comment on the incidence, neither by the government nor the intelligence agency.

Moreover, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani traveled to Istanbul a day before the incidence (12/11/17) to attend a summit organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Ministry of Education said, “it was satisfied with the functioning of these schools, but decision on their fate rested with President Ghani.” Reportedly few days before the operation, the Turkish government announced arrest warrant on teachers’ name for taking part in the so-called coup attempt. Documents indicate that the UN has provided asylum protection to one of the abducted teachers and asked authorities not to extradite him to Turkey.

The operation against the ATCE is part of a Turkish campaign against the followers of Fethullah Gulen who is a Turkish cleric which lives in self-imposed exile in the U.S. He promotes a moderate form of Islam, supports inter-faith communication and inspires to promote education in different parts of the world. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses him of orchestrating the failed coup-attempt. Mr. Gulen has strongly been denying all the allegations.

As the Advocates of Silenced Turkey, we strongly ask the government of Afghanistan to step back and release the teachers immediately. We also invite all international organizations and everyone caring about human rights and fundamental freedoms to speak out to create awareness and also to take urgent action against such an abduction towards the teachers as it violates many human rights enshrined by international human rights law. Number of cases of illegal abductions committed at the request of the Turkish government have been increasing day by day. The situation is likely to get worse if we do not protect the victims. Therefore, we lastly urge President Erdogan to stop resorting to illegal ways to clampdown innocent people.

Download as pdf: AST_Statement_Teachers_in_Afghanistan

Please send a letter to your representatives, relevant individuals or organization regarding the illegal abductions of members of Gulen Movement. A letter sample is attached as a word document: AST_Letter_Urgent Appeal regarding Turkish Teachers in Afghanistan

 


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