Hotel in Abant closes its doors to Hizmet movement

Aydın Engin, T24

I have been following the Community's (Hizmet movement) Abant Platform.

This is a 16-year-old platform which I have either attended in person or followed. At the platform academics, writers, cartoonists, journalists and intellectuals representing different segments of society come together to discuss certain topics. At this year's meeting I will focus on those who did not attend the platform rather than on those who did. Of course there was no one from the ranks of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party). I do not know if it stems from their fear of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, but AK Party members -- with no exception -- boycotted the platform. One other note from the Abant Platform: The meetings were traditionally held in Abant, but this year they were held in Akçakoca because the Abant hotel, which is named after the district, refused to host the platform. Likewise, the WOW Hotel in İstanbul declined hosting the platform and the event was eventually moved to the Sky Tower in Akçakoca.

Published on Sunday's Zaman, 22 June 2014, Sunday