Turkish AKP government continues to support and empower Islamic sects, especially the 'Menzil' based in the city of Adıyaman.
The Beşir Association, a foundation of the Menzil sect, was granted the right to collect “charity” without permission. It was announced by the association that the grant was proposed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and approved by the ministers of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Menzil sect had declared their support for Erdoğan, right before the presidential and general elections on June 24 this year with newspaper ads. It is known that the sect has branches all over the country, especially in Adıyaman, Ankara, and İstanbul, and operates with the financial support of its members in trade, who are very well known to have gained power in the past 16 years with the AKP rule.
Mahmut Tanal, a deputy of the parliamentary main opposition CHP party, had claimed in 2017 at a TV programme that three ministries, Interior, Justice, and Health, were in the hands of the Menzil sect. Tanal had also stated that police officers had promotions depending on whether they had references from the sect.
After the coup attempt on July 15, 2016, some news reports had covered the claims that the Health Ministry was taken over by the sect.
