What happened to the police officer who led the operation against Adnan Oktar: A story of exile from Istanbul to Kilis

Furkan Sezer, the former Financial Crimes Investigation Branch Manager who led the investigation into the Adnan Oktar Armed Criminal Organization, was effectively 'punished' by being exiled from Istanbul to Kilis on the second anniversary of the operation.

HE ENDURED EVERYTHING

Cumhuriyet columnist Barış Pehlivan covered the experiences of Sezer—who had 223 awards for success and superior achievement and no disciplinary record, including no reprimands—during his exile process from Istanbul to Kilis.

Reminding readers that Süleyman Soylu was the Minister of the Interior at the time Sezer was exiled to Kilis, Pehlivan quoted the section titled The Reward of Success: Exile from Sezer's book, Dragos:

“- After my reassignment, I was subjected to excessive pressure to vacate the government housing despite having a legal grace period. Knowing that this pressure would also be directed at my wife and children, we moved out quickly. I at least had the comfort of that while heading to Kilis. However, the sensitivity shown to me was not extended to other colleagues who were reassigned. They were allowed to work in other provinces for a long time while their families continued to reside in their government housing in Istanbul. I am happy for them and their families.

- According to general practice, reassignments are announced in August. My reassignment was announced in the second week of July, between 3 and 4 in the morning. I was being sent to Kilis. I had completed my sixth year of service in Istanbul. The term of service for Istanbul was 10 years. I had neither an investigation nor a disciplinary penalty. I had conducted operations against dozens of organizations. I knew I was being treated unfairly. The morning after that night, my first act was to personally take my petition to the relevant court, stating that this appointment was made unlawfully, and to file a lawsuit. I started my duty on July 11, 2002. The operation against the Adnan Oktar armed criminal organization was launched on July 11, 2018, and I was exiled from Istanbul to Kilis on another July 11, in the year 2020. I don't think anyone who knows even a little bit about how the state works can claim that this assignment was carried out out of necessity or to address a need for a manager in Kilis.

- I have conducted investigations and operations against many terrorist organizations operating in our country. The largest and most important of these were those I conducted against the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization. The Adnan Oktar operation was one of these. When you ask whose revenge this is, I think it is the revenge of a group within the police force that was uncomfortable with these. I was hearing, and even seeing, that some high-level figures working at the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime (KOM) Department at the time had some grievances regarding me.”

HE WON THE LAWSUIT, THE DECISION WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED, SEZER RESIGNED…

Although Furkan Sezer won the lawsuit he filed against the exile, the Ministry of the Interior did not implement the court's decision. Sezer subsequently resigned.

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