Tuzla municipality of Istanbul to grant plot to cult for Islamic school building

Mayor of Istanbul’s Eastern Tuzla district, Şadi Yazıcı, has earned authorization to grant a 2,000 square meter plot to the Islamic İsmailağa cult-affiliated “Peaceful Hearts Educational Foundation.” The foundation has plans to build an Islamic Quran School on the land.

Tuesday December 12 2023 02:57 pm

Duvar English

Şadi Yazıcı, Istanbul’s Tuzla district mayor from the Justice and Development Party (AKP), has earned the authority to grant a 2,000 square meter plot in the district to the Islamic İsmailağa cult in a municipal vote, the daily BirGün reported on Dec. 12.

The “Peaceful Hearts Educational Foundation” closely related to the cult has plans to build an Islamic school on the plot. The land belonged to the Tuzla municipality and was named a “sports area” in official documents.

During the Tuzla municipal council meeting in December, the mayor earned the right to grant the municipality-owned land to the foundation by the ruling AKP and ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) votes despite objections from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

The municipality stated that the foundation had requested the right to build on the plot, and the building would be open to public use.

The cult has been associated with child abuse cases, where the founder of the affiliate Hiranur Foundation was sentenced for "marrying" his 6-year-old daughter to a 29-year-old follower of the cult.