March 19, 2014

Gülen says gov't cut back on rights and freedoms in Turkey

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who has inspired the popular civic and social movement called Hizmet, has said he is concerned with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government's moves seen over the last couple of years to cut back on fundamental rights and freedoms in Turkey.

Islamic scholar Gülen rejects involvement with graft probe and wiretappings

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has dismissed government accusations that he has orchestrated a graft probe while rejecting any involvement with recent online wiretapping leaks in the second part of an extensive interview with Today’s Zaman.

'Erdoğan to take action against Hizmet after restructuring judiciary'

Despite Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's continual accusations that the faith-based Hizmet movement is plotting against him through recordings that have implicated Erdoğan and his son Bilal in bribery and corruption, the prime minister has refrained from filing any lawsuits against members of the Hizmet movement, which has raised questions from analysts.

Danish PM startled over question on Erdoğan's hate speech against Hizmet

Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt seemed to be startled when a journalist asked the Turkish president whether Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's hate speech against the Hizmet movement conflicts with Turkish authorities' fight against Islamophobia in Europe.

Parallel state created by PM himself, says former CHP leader

Former Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, assessing a large-scale corruption investigation that went public on Dec. 17, said the "parallel state" that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused the Hizmet movement of creating is in fact Erdoğan's own illegal organization.

Turkish Schools In Somalia

The Bedir Turkish High School in Mogadishu, Kıblenuma Elementary School, Kıblenuma Girl’s School and Somaliland Vifak Turkish School in the country offer modern vocational training for Somali children as well as winning medals in international contests, leading to increased hopes for a better future in the country.

AK Party gov't behind anti-Hizmet declaration, leaked recordings allege

A joint declaration by a number of civil society organizations to proclaim open support for the government during debates over the closure of dershanes (prep schools) was concocted by the advisers of the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and some associations were forced to lend their support, according to a number of new leaked recordings.

Disloyalty: I swear it has no worth

Hüseyin Gülerce

The inner world of religious people has never before been so distressing. We are in utter amazement. People keep asking me what is going on. I say: "We are going through a test. I believe that we are going through a test that is much tougher than other tests we previously passed." Then they ask what we should do. I say: "We should maintain our positions as Muslims. It is important to be patient and calm; to preserve our goodwill, keep our style under check and not be easily provoked." A friend of mine, who is a doctor, reacted by saying: "Aren't you exaggerating the notion of preserving our goodwill. Is it wrong that we are getting angry because of these insults?" I told him that it is our duty to preserve our goodwill. And I recalled a Turkish proverb, "He who stands up in anger, sits down with a loss." We should not resort any other means other than the rule of law and a functional, fair justice system.