December 5, 2013

GYV expresses concern over claims of government profiling of its citizens

The Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), whose honorary chairman is Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, released a statement on its website on Thursday in which it said it is worried about the profiling of citizens, civic groups and public employees.

Çelik admits profiling as daily faces criminal complaint for revelations

Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Çelik on Wednesday confirmed the authenticity of a new document suggesting that the government profiled individuals linked to some religious and faith-based groups, saying the document was leaked to the media by a member or members of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT).

What is wrong with independent journalism?

Tuğba Aydın

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç called on prosecutors to take legal action on Monday against the Taraf daily and journalist Mehmet Baransu, who revealed a controversial National Security Council (MGK) document last week, signed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in 2004, which detailed a planned crackdown on the Hizmet (Gülen) movement.

Government files complaint against daily for exposing plot against Gülen

The Prime Ministry, the National Security Council (MGK) and the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) have filed a criminal complaint against the Turkish daily which has revealed that Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government signed on to a planned crackdown on the Hizmet (Gülen) movement.

Prep school (dershane) resistance, autocracy and democracy

İhsan Bal

In his speech in Muğla Prime Minister Erdogan carefully and delicately stressed that Turkey’s Grand National Assembly was the authority in which all decisions were made. In order to strengthen this emphasis, he said "this is not a country ruled not by an autocratic regime, it is a country ruled by democracy." Indeed, this is true.

Germany’s dialogue awards find their recipients

Alliance of German Dialogue Institutions (BDDI) recently bestowed the nation’s very first intercultural and interfaith dialogue awards. At the award ceremony, Meinhard Tenne received Life’s Work Award; Intercultural Council (Interkultureller Rat in Deutschland e.V.), Social Engagement; Prof. Karl Josef Kuschel, Interfaith Dialogue; Feridun Zaimoglu, Literature; and Corneila Pieper, Politics.

"CHP’s visit to Gülen organization a ‘unifying action’"

The main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) recent visit to the Turkic American Alliance (TAA), one of Fethullah Gülen’s U.S.-based organizations, was an “inclusive, unifying action,” CHP deputy chair Faruk Loğoğlu has said.

First Annual Kyrgyz American Convention a Huge Success

On Wednesday, November 20, the First Annual Kyrgyz American Convention continued with signature functions at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. The event was organized by the Turkic American Alliance (TAA), the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic to USA and Canada, the Turkic American Federation of Midwest (TAFM) and the Kyrgyz American Association, in collaboration with the Council of Turkic American Associations (CTAA), the Mid-Atlantic Federation of Turkic American Associations (MAFTAA), the Turkic American Federation of Southeast (TAFS), the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians (TCAE), the West American Turkic Council (WATC), JIA (Association of Young Entrepreneurs of Kyrgyzstan) and the Rethink Institute.