November 3, 2014

State discrimination against Hizmet movement sympathizers

Oğuzhan Tekin

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government is aiming to take all steps to finish off Hizmet movement sympathizers by any means. Discrimination is one of these steps. Discrimination is a human rights violation. I would like to share five of my personal experiences, of many more, to show what kind of discrimination is being committed against the movement's sympathizers.

Red Book

Ekrem Dumanlı

Those who came to power by promoting an Islamist ideology have been performing pretty poorly. Those who expected support from the people due to the unfair decisions of the National Security Council (MGK) up until recently are now trying to rely on this institution to achieve their goals. And unfortunately, no reasonable or liberal-minded politicians have been criticizing this or attracting attention to this mistake. What a terrible fear this is that silences people.

Islam's internal enemies

Abdülhamit Bilici

Caliph Omar, who is renowned for his attention to justice, paid a visit to sacred sites after taking over control of Jerusalem from Governor Sophronius. He visited Masjid al Aqsa and later also wanted to see the Church of Resurrection where, according to Christian belief, Jesus was crucified and prepared for burial. Sophronius, who was walking with Omar, recalled that he performed prayers everywhere he visited and asked him to do the same at the church. Omar rejected the request saying, “If I perform prayer here, Muslims will build a mosque on this very spot.” Instead he found an empty area to the south of the church for prayer, upon which Muslims thereafter erected a mosque named after Omar.