The just and the unjust alike

Complaints and news stories on the apprehension of the innocent alongside the real suspects are increasing. The issue is growing into a social victimization dimension. Students, civil servants, journalists, businessmen, academics, judges and prosecutors are being detained, so much so that the prime minister feels the need to make frequent warnings. 

My colleagues, journalists such as Nazlı Ilıcak, Şahin Alpay and Ali Bulaç, and several of the like, have been arrested. 

Those who only wrote for the "Fethullah community" media professionally and some of them just because they were criticizing, have been arrested on charges such as "being a member of the organization, aiding and abetting and attempted coup." 

Ilıcak defended former President Süleyman Demirel during the time they were banned from politics; she fiercely fought against all coups. She defended headscarf-wearing deputy Merve Kavakçı in parliament when the latter was disrespectfully chanted at: "Out, Out." For the 35 years I have known her, she acted with the same motive in all her moves. She would not have any criminal relationship with the dark "Fethullahist Terror Organization" (FETÖ) side of the Gülen community; she cannot be imagined as a follower. She was arrested because she "may have escaped," but she was on her way to the police station to turn herself in. 

Bulaç is a writer who defends that the concept of "Islam" should be far from the concept of the "state;" he is known for concepts such as "civilian Islam, cultural Islam." He cannot have a connection with the dark side of the community trying to seize the state. 

Alpay, in the correct sense of the world, is a "liberal." He is one of the few names in the country who introduced liberal philosopher Karl...