The leader of the Süleymancılar movement jailed pending trial in a money laundering case
A court on 16 August ordered the arrest pending trial of Alihan Kuriş, leader of the Süleymancılar religious community, together with 31 other suspects in a money laundering and corruption investigation; six people, among them Ahmet Gökcen, a former member of the HSK board of judges and prosecutors, were placed under house arrest. Investigators have identified 32 companies with ties to the movement and say more than 100 billion liras, about two billion dollars, were allegedly moved abroad; Kuriş was reportedly captured hiding in a concealed compartment of a house not registered in his name. Prosecutors stress that the investigation does not concern the community's religious activities, but moving against one of the country's largest religious movements is politically charged.