September 5, 2016

Time for a reality check

Scott C. Alexander

Time for a reality check. This weekend many ISNA conventioneers are attending "panels" in which the so-called "Turkish delegation" will continue to attempt to justify the immoral and thoroughly un-Islamic persecution of countless innocent Muslim men and women in Turkey and around the world. While these conventioneers politely applaud the representatives of a regime which is attempting to destroy the lives of many of their fellow Turkish American Muslims right here in the US, here is just one example of what's happening back in Turkey...
I am Serap Aşık. I am a teacher in the Afyon district of Turkey. I am in a desperate situation so please help me. On the night of August 25 2016 at around 12am [the police] come to my door shouting “We have a search warrant and detain warrant for Ahmet Aşık (My husband)!" Everybody in the apartment heard the noises. Then rush through our home and they did not even read the prosecutor’s written warrant because the name on the warrant was wrong, it was for a person named Ömer Işık. When I pointed out that the name was wrong, they said it is just a typo and then continued screaming at us. I requested them not to shout since I had a child which I did not want him to be scared. I checked my son seeing my child is ok; I go back to bedroom where the police handcuffed my husband from his back and screaming at him. They did not even allow him to sit. They searched the house while doing so they treated us so badly, in disgrace. After they realized that we have a car they also searched the car, however while searching they make everybody around to know that they are there; shouting, making noises. Meanwhile my husband was standing there with his pajamas on. After searching for the car they let him wear his clothes. They asked me where I work, which I reply that I am working in public school. They said we are going to come back for you soon.

With despair I said "I seek the justice of Allah for those who did this to us," one police officer heard me and shouted at me “Why don’t you damn the coup plotters, FETO?" I replied of course I have no hesitation about damning coup plotters. I asserted that that we don’t have anything with the coup attempt we did not even know why they come to our house in the first place. I continued saying every government institution should investigate the coup plot and those who have nothing to do with the coup d’état would be able to return to their jobs. I said that we were sure we will be cleared from all investigations because we had nothing they are looking for; even we did not have books of Fethullah Gülen. They said that my husband may be cleared from institutional investigation but for sure he is not going to get away from this investigation.

While handcuffed behind his back he is dragged into police car and they took him to the police station. For 4 days I could not see him and they did not give us any information. At the 4th day, they allowed me to bring some clothes but they kept me at an interrogation room and asked me questions about my husband, threatened me about giving my name to the authorities so that I will be kicked out of my job as teacher as well. Then before bringing my husband to the room they threatened me once again “If you open your mouth and speak any word to your husband we will take you in custody too under the same investigation !” My husband had scars and bruises all around his face he begged them not to go back to detention room. “Give me 50 years in prison but please don’t take me back there” he said.

Police said “if you want to save your husband make him tell us everything he knows”. When we meet there were 4 police officers right beside us constantly threatening and shouting “tell, tell”.

I could not find any attorney; everybody that asked did not want to accept the case. Bar Association will assign an attorney 6 days later. I am in total despair, please help me and help me urgently. I have nobody to ask for help.
Published on Alexander's Facebook page, 3 September 2016, Saturday