December 25, 2013

Erdoğan's imaginary power struggles

İhsan Yılmaz

When we look at international media coverage of the recent corruption scandal in Turkey, we see that the events are generally seen as a “power struggle” between the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and the Hizmet movement.

'Gray domination' and Turkey's civil rights challenge

Hakan Yeşilova*

During his speech at Nelson Mandela's memorial service in Johannesburg, President Obama quoted Madiba, a true leader: “I've fought against white domination, I've fought against black domination.”

Power struggle between old friends in Turkey

The 72-year-old with the white mustache lives in a well-shielded home in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, and only receives a few guests. Fethullah Gülen, an imam and native of Turkey, has been living in the US since 1999, having decided not to return to Turkey after a hospital stay in the States.

NY Times: 3 Turkish Ministers Resign Amid Corruption Scandal

Three Turkish cabinet ministers resigned Wednesday in an intensifying corruption scandal that has challenged the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and polarized the country.

Al-Jazeera: Turkish probe marks AKP-Gulen power struggle*

Umut Uras

Turkey has been shaken by the most extensive and sensational corruption investigations of its recent history that have led to dozens of detentions - from renowned business people to senior bureaucrats and sons of ministers.

Turkey's Corruption Probe, And One Question For Erdogan

İsmet Berkan

A widening corruption probe has been consuming Turkey in recent days. Figures close to the leading Justice and Development Party (AKP), including sons of cabinet members, are facing serious allegations of bribery and money laundering. The government is denying all accusations and claims the charges are part of a conspiracy with roots both foreign and domestic. The operation is run by prosecutors allegedly close to the Fethullah Gulen religious movement (officially known Hizmet Movement).

Please do not insult the intelligence of the people

Sevgi Akarçeşme

Turkey has been witnessing a shocking corruption probe in the last week. On Dec. 17, sons of three ministers were accused of being involved in the investigation that apparently has been going on for months. Public opinion was shocked when a money-counting machine was found in the interior minister's house along with hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Pakistan PM Praises Turkish Schools in Erdogan's Visit

Speaking at the Pakistan-Turkey Business Forum on Monday, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif pointed out the historical alliance between the two countries and paid compliments to the PAK-TURK schools established by Turkish entrepreneurs.

US ambassador story concocted by gov't team, claims daily

Reports appearing in pro-government newspapers accusing US Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone of remarks regarding a major graft probe were manufactured by government teams, according to the Taraf daily on Wednesday.

Conspiratorial minds, authoritarian politics

Mustafa Akyol

In the year 2007, one of the bestselling books in Turkey was a weird title by a conspiracy theorist: “The Children of Moses” by Ergün Poyraz. The book’s cover presented Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan and his wife within a Star of David. Its pages argued, seriously, that Erdoğan was a “secret Jew” who collaborated with “international Jewry” to destroy the secular republic of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The writer, Mr. Poyraz, was a hardcore secular-nationalist (aka Kemalist) who seemed pretty convinced that Turkey was targeted by a Zionist global plot, of which Erdoğan’s AKP (Justice and Development Party) was a mere pawn.