Separation of politics and Islam makes Gülen AKP’s enemy

Inge Poelemans

“The Gülen Movement is faith inspired in its motivation, but faith neutral in its manifestation.” That is how key speaker Ozcan Keles, chairperson of Dialogue Society in London, characterized the Gülen Movement in a panel discussion on the Hizmet Movement Tuesday in the European Parliament. Vice-president of the European Parliament, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, had invited him and scholar Ihsan Yilmaz (Fatih University of Istanbul) to both inform the audience about the Hizmet Movement, both answering their questions in a revealing debate.

Gülen movement discussed at EP in light of recent political developments in Turkey

A panel discussion was organized by the Brussels-based Intercultural Dialogue Platform in the European Parliament (EP) to give information about the faith-based Gülen movement, also known as the Hizmet movement, especially within the framework of recent developments in Turkish politics.

The end of the Constitution in Turkey

İhsan Yılmaz

The regime of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has taken control of Bank Asya, which was founded by sympathizers of the Hizmet movement. The regime's pretext to control the bank is ridiculous. For about a year Erdoğan has been breaking all sorts of banking, finance and stock exchange laws to sink the bank but the bank has proved resilient, thanks to the devout support of Hizmet volunteers. As a result, the regime was not able to seize the bank on the basis of financial weakness and instead made the simple accusation that the major owners of the bank did not give the authorities the details of their wealth in time, after giving them extremely short notice.

Unfree market economy

İbrahim Türkmen

I was talking with a former high-level bureaucrat at the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) a couple of days ago, discussing our economy in the face of recent developments.

No to ’financial coup’

Turhan Bozkurt

Those who have not hesitated to tell lies and resort to blackmail over the last 14 months in an effort to make Bank Asya go bankrupt are beginning a new intimidation campaign that may have a destructive impact on the overall economy.

Citizens flood Turkey’s Bank Asya with funds in show of support

Tens of thousands of citizens formed long lines in front of Bank Asya branches across Turkey in the early hours of Wednesday morning to deposit large sums into their accounts in response to the state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) decision to take over most of Bank Asya's management as part of a government-orchestrated crackdown on institutions affiliated with the faith-based Gülen movement, also known as the Hizmet movement.

Dangerous play by Erdoğan

Vahap Uysal*

At 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3, police raided the headquarters of Bank Asya in İstanbul, Turkey, to help the takeover of the bank by the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF). Bank Asya is an Islamic bank largely run by businessmen associated with Mr. Fethullah Gülen, an influential Islamic scholar with a large following in Turkey.

Unlawful intervention in Bank Asya to backfire on markets, experts warn

A midnight police raid on the headquarters of Turkey's largest Islamic bank after a banking watchdog's decision to take over the bank's management on Tuesday lacks legal grounds and will likely stir further speculation in financial markets, pundits warned on Wednesday.

US urges Turkey to uphold rule of law in Bank Asya case

The United State has urged the Turkish government to uphold the rule of law in dealing with Turkey's biggest Islamic lender Bank Asya, whose management was taken over by a state insurance fund on Tuesday.

Gov’t-backed Bank Asya decision sparks anger, likely to face int’l court

The decision to take over control of Turkey's largest Islamic lender, Bank Asya, has drawn much public ire, with many emphasizing the deteriorating image of the banking industry amid the worsening investment environment and arguing that the decision is likely to be reversed in both local and in international courts.

Opposition lashes out at gov’t for Bank Asya operation, says economy will suffer

Opposition parties have blasted the takeover of the management of Bank Asya by Turkey's state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), widely described as a politically motivated move designed to intimidate, warning that the government-orchestrated crackdown will inflict a heavy toll on the economy.

Bank Asya lawyer says ‘seizure’ out of question, bank to continue operations

One of the lawyers of Bank Asya has denied that the state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) seized the Islamic lender, stressing that it only made changes in Bank Asya's management that will not affect the bank's operations.

General manager says Bank Asya to continue operations, vows legal fight

Bank Asya General Manager Ahmet Beyaz, who was among nine members of the bank's executive board removed by state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) as part of a political operation targeting the institution, has said the bank will take legal action against the TMSF move, which he also says will not affect the bank's operations.

Police prevent certain media outlets from entering Bank Asya

After the Savings Deposits Insurance Fund (TMSF) took over 63 percent of Bank Asya's privileged shares late on Tuesday, police officers prevented certain media outlets that arrived at the scene to cover the story from entering the Bank Asya building, while others were allowed to enter.

Harsh criticisms pour in as TMSF takes control of board at Bank Asya

Turkey's state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) has taken over management control of 63 percent of the privileged shares in Bank Asya, Turkey's biggest Islamic lender, as part of a government-orchestrated crackdown on institutions affiliated with the Gülen movement (Hizmet movement).

Turkish state fund takes over Bank Asya’s management, claims lack of transparency

Turkey's state-run Savings Deposits Insurance Fund (TMSF) has taken over most of Bank Asya's management, Turkey's biggest Islamic lender, as part of the government-orchestrated crackdown on institutions affiliated with the Gülen movement.

Albayrak: Revoking Gülen’s passport is not fit for a state ruled by law

Nurullah Albayrak, the legal representative of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen in Turkey, has said that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government claims of having revoked Gülen's passport do not comply with the principles of a state ruled by law.