Gülen's lawyer to sue daily Sabah over black propaganda

As the government-controlled Sabah daily continues to distort facts and fabricate stories in an effort to depict Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen as being involved in acts against the government, his lawyer is preparing to sue the daily over its black propaganda campaign.

Watson: My expressions were twisted by Sabah

Sir Graham Watson, one of the most veteran members of the European Parliament, has said he is very disappointed in the way the Sabah daily twisted his words on the Hizmet movement.

How hateful discourse manipulates our perception

The government has gone too far in its efforts to manipulate people's perceptions, which were effective only for the lower-middle and lower class of society. The project to manipulate people's perceptions, which is led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, lost its old allure when the discourse of hatred started to be employed.

Duff: So easy for some Turkish media to misreport

British Liberal member of the European Parliament (EP) Andrew Duff has reacted to the Turkish Sabah daily's report on his interview on the Gülen movement, accusing Sabah of misreporting what he said on the movement and stressing that he respects Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen's statements on the recent developments in Turkey.

Businessmen voice frustration over smear campaign against Hizmet

The Akşehir Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (AKSİAD) has condemned an ongoing defamation campaign being conducted against the Hizmet movement inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, calling on government officials to refrain from the hate speech and polarizing rhetoric that are damaging the society.

Diverging points between AKP and Hizmet movement: Kurdish question

Mustafa Demir*

In his recent article in Der Spiegel, Maximilian Popp tries to analyze recent tension between the Hizmet movement and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Turkey.

Slanders against Hizmet Movement at highest level, which offends Anatolians

The Federation of Anatolian Businessmen (ANFED) President Rahmi Bıyık stated that slanders against the members of the Hizmet Movement, inspired by Fethullah Gülen is at the highest level of all times, which offends Anatolian people a lot and hurts their feelings.

Political Activism for Peaceful Coexistence in Rumi and Gulen

İhsan Yılmaz

Rumi strongly underlines that humans – even if they are dervishes – should not ignore the laws of the universe and doctrine of causes, not to sit around heedlessly waiting for Allah’s favor, but rather to exert themselves endlessly in order to transform this broken world into the world of peace and justice. It is obvious that living in the world but not of the world was his main action plan and road map.

“These schools are cultivating future’s prominent Malians”

Malian Minister of Education, Jacqueline Nana Togola, visited Turkish Horizon Schools operating in the capital, Bamako. In her address during the visit, the minister said the schools are cultivating top-quality students.

CSOs continue to condemn hate speech against Hizmet movement

More civil society organizations from various parts of Turkey held press conferences on Friday to slam hate speech used by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government against the Hizmet movement, saying that top government officials should refrain from using hateful rhetoric.

Gülen's lawyer: Systemic, illegal wiretaps taking place in Turkey over last six months

The lawyer of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has said there has been systematic eavesdropping on unsuspecting citizens for the last six months which led to a smear campaign against his client that included edited and doctored voice recordings.

Oligarchic clique's devious plans

İhsan Yılmaz

As I have previously written in this column, when former Interior Minister Idris Naim Şahin resigned from his party, he said in his resignation letter, “When it comes to governing, it is understood that [the party] prefers the guidance of a small oligarchic clique comprising politicians and bureaucrats whose intentions are uncertain.”

Deputy says AK Party tainted by corruption as he resigns

Another deputy from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Muhammed Çetin, slammed the party for being tainted by corruption as he resigned in protest of the government's response to a graft scandal that has implicated the sons of three ministers and businessmen close to the government as well as the chief of a state bank.

Deputy Bal says did not resign from AK Party on anyone's orders

Responding to speculations put forward by circles close to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) that independent Kütahya deputy İdris Bal resigned from the party on an order from Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, Bal has said he did not resign from the party on anyone's orders, stating that if they could prove this, he is also ready to resign from his post as deputy.

'Parallel state' and 'theft of national will'

Bülent Keneş

The recent developments have demystified the millions of people living Turkey who have long been deceived by lies about the country being an "advanced democracy" and a "strong economy." But the "parallel state" and the "theft of the national will" are still here. But take it easy! Do not be easily concerned! Just bear with me to see if I am saying the same thing as the inventors of the parallel state and theft-of-the-national-will arguments....

Ministers deviate from Erdoğan's discourse on pineapple, interest lobby

Two prominent members of the Cabinet have refused to go along with two main keywords Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has frequently resorted to in order to demonize the opposition against him amidst escalating pressure on his government stemming from allegations of corruption and bribery.

Turkey: A victim of imperial overreach

Lale Kemal

There are, on the one hand, the Turkish security forces and judiciary, and on the other, the government and the National Intelligence Organization (MİT), who are engaged in a bitter power struggle in front of the public over the search and seizure of trucks destined for neighboring Syria, which has been engulfed in a civil war for nearly three years. The government says the Syria-bound trucks contain humanitarian goods, while the opposition parties say they contain arms carried secretly to Syrian extremist groups such as the al-Nusra Front.

Meet Pakistan's real Tahirul Qadri

Naveed Ahmad*

The prayer leader of yesteryear fancies himself as the savior of today's Pakistan. Brandishing himself as the sheikh-ul-Islam, clad in Turkish cap and Arabic attire, Allama Tahirul Qadri quit hibernation in his cozy Canadian apartment late 2012.

‘Well, you were saying Hizmet is a religious movement?'

Hüseyin Gülerce

There is an ongoing discussion in the Hizmet-government row: “We thought the Hizmet movement was a religious movement. However, recent discussions and Fethullah Gülen's statements and interviews reveal that it is actually a political movement.”

CSOs slam smear campaign against Hizmet, call on PM to stop hate speech

Further civil society organizations from across Turkey have condemned an ongoing defamation campaign being conducted against the Hizmet movement inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, calling on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other top government officials to refrain from the hate speech and polarizing rhetoric that are wounding the public's conscience.

Kimse Yok Mu sends next party of aid to Syrian refugees

Turkish relief organization Kimse Yok Mu's Bursa branch sent it's 7th aid lorry consisting of food and clothes to a Syrian refugee camp in southern province of Kilis.

Turkish women make a difference in Africa

Menekşe Tokyay

In a sign of Turkey's strengthened ties with Africa, a group of Turkish women composed of artists, doctors and business leaders is building an orphanage in the southern African nation of Burundi.

Dr. Soltes: Hizmet cares for Turkey and humanity

Antalya Intercultural Dialog Center (AKDIM) hosted a conference entitled “Implications of Global Rise of Democracy for Today from a Rumi Perspective” at Ramada Plaza Hotel, Antalya, Turkey. The keynote speakers were the US academic Dr. Ori Soltes and journalist-author Erkan Tufan Aytav.

Burc Schools achieve 13 medals in AMC 8

Adana Burc Schools’ students won 5 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals in 60th Annual International AMC 8 contest, jointly held by Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and University of Nebraska.

Erzurum people call Minister Ala to apologize Gülen for his remarks

A large group of people from nongovernmental organizations representatives, academics, businessmen and lawyers made a press statement on a speech paid by Interior Minister Efkan Ala saying that such a speech is an insult to Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen and called Ala to apologize Gülen for his remarks.

Afghan education minister recommends Turkish schools in each province

During a recent visit to İstanbul, Afghan Education Minister Ghulam Farooq Wardak said on Friday that he would like Turkey to increase the number of Turkish-Afghan schools in Afghanistan, opening a school in each province as an educational role model.

Defamation campaign against Hizmet condemned by CSOs from across country

An ongoing defamation campaign targeting the Hizmet movement -- a volunteer-based grassroots movement inspired by Muslim scholar Fethullah Gülen that works in the field of education around the world and encourages interfaith dialogue -- was condemned by many civil society organizations (CSO) from across the country on Wednesday.

A useful guide to understanding the Hizmet-AK Party tension

Mustafa Yeşil, head of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), of which Fethullah Gülen is honorary president, talks about the reasons for the increasing tension between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government and the Hizmet movement, which conducts praiseworthy activities in Turkey and around the globe with inspiration from well-respected Turkish-Islamic scholar Gülen.

On Hizmet exceptionalism

Hakan Yeşilova

Although military service is compulsory in Turkey, it has sometimes been possible to serve a greatly reduced time in the army by paying a fee. Those who benefited from this privilege would tease those spending months or years in the barracks: ‘We had to bear the entire year’s burden, with all its weight, condensed into a few weeks!’ We have had a similar feeling in Turkey since the beginning of the graft probe: The relativity of time has never been so acute.

PM Erdoğan widens hostile stance to include more and more groups

Faced with massive corruption scandals, embattled Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ratcheted up his rhetoric further on Tuesday, as he started attacking opposition parties, the judiciary, the corporate world, the media, civic groups and what he called international dark circles even more aggressively.

NY Times: Turkey’s Wrong Turn

New York Times Editorial Board

Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was in Brussels last week seeking to repair relations with Europe, but the first place to look for a solution is within himself. Once hailed as the leader of a model Muslim democracy, he has created a political disaster at home, transforming Turkey into an authoritarian state that poses dangers not just for itself but for its allies in NATO, including the United States.

10 unanswered questions about the Dec. 17 operation

Ahmet Hakan, Hürriyet

1- Even though Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MİT) tipped off the government about the unlawful transactions of Reza Zarrab a full eight months before the corruption investigation became public on Dec. 17, why didn't the government pay attention to MİT's warning?

Gülen's lawyer files libel suit against Interior Minister Ala

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen's lawyer has filed a libel suit against Interior Minister Efkan Ala over his remarks targeting Gülen during a speech in Erzurum province on Monday, stating that Ala violated the personal rights of Gülen with untrue accusations and improper analogies.

Minister's remarks on Gülen cause AK Party members to resign

The ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) Erzurum provincial deputy head and two more members of the provincial council resigned from their party due to Minister of Internal Affairs Efkan Ala's verbal attacks on the Hizmet movement and its leader, Fethullah Gülen, on Monday.

‘Washington has no interest in using Gülen against AKP,’ former U.S envoy says

The United States has no desire to use Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish Muslim scholar who lives in self-imposed exile in America, as a tool against Ankara, said James Holmes, who is currently the president of the American-Turkish Council.

Gülen extends condolences to MHP over official's death

Prominent Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who also inspired the faith-based Hizmet movement, issued a message of condolence to Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) officials regarding the death of the party's media adviser, Cengiz Yücel Akyıldız, who was killed during an attack outside a party office on Sunday.

Approval rate of Turkish schools abroad at 78 percent

According to a survey conducted by the International Turkish Association (TÜRKÇEDER), 78 percent of the people in Turkey approve of the Turkish schools abroad.

Islamic lender raises capital after massive gov’t withdrawal

Turkish Islamic lender Bank Asya has made a cash capital increase on the back of claims that state-owned companies and institutional depositors have withdrawn millions of Turkish Liras of the bank’s total deposits.

Gülen: Turkey's graft scandal can't be covered up

In his first televised interview in 16 years, Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen said that the massive corruption investigations that have shaken the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) cannot be covered up no matter how hard the government tries to derail the probes -- not even by blaming the scandal on what the prime minister has called the “parallel state,” a veiled reference to the Hizmet movement inspired by Gülen himself.

BBC: Turkey's Fethullah Gulen denies corruption probe links

Tim Franks

Reclusive Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, seen as a rival to Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has denied using his influence to start investigations into alleged high-level government corruption.

BBC: Power of Turkey's Fethullah Gulen

Güney Yıldız

To the Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, claims that he is in a bitter power struggle with Turkey's prime minister are blown out of proportion.

Speaking in his Pennsylvania retreat, Mr Gulen, 74, said Turkey's ruling AK Party was trying to "make our movement appear bigger than it already is and to frighten people".

Fethullah Gulen: Powerful but reclusive Turkish cleric

Tim Franks

Fethullah Gulen has been called Turkey's second most powerful man. He is also a recluse, who lives in self-imposed exile in the US.

Gülen's lawyer says claims of luxury homes part of smear campaign

The lawyer of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has denied claims made by some Turkish newspapers that the scholar is having luxury residences constructed for him in Turkey.

Van NGOs: Calling Hizmet movement 'virus' and 'hashhashin' unacceptable

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) active in the eastern province of Van said in a press conference that the tension experienced in Turkey recently has ruined the country and that any remarks or behavior against the Hizmet movement will not be tolerated.

Turkey's recent view from the US

Arzu Kaya Uranlı

“What does Turkey look like from abroad?” is the most common question I've been hearing recently when I contact someone in Turkey. What can I say? Since last June, Turkey's image in the US has noticeably been going somewhere we don't want to know…

Swoboda accuses Erdoğan of using Hizmet movement as a pretext

Socialist leader Hannes Swoboda accused Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of using the Hizmet movement as an excuse to backtrack on reforms, during their meeting in the European Parliament on Tuesday.

Unaffected by tension, TUSKON promotes Turkish economy

Despite continuing government pressure and a smear campaign against Turkey's largest Islamic group, the Hizmet movement, a leading business confederation affiliated with Hizmet is working even harder than before to benefit the country's ailing economy.

Tension at home hits Turkey's brand overseas

The harsh rhetoric of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan denouncing some groups as a “parallel state” following a corruption scandal that erupted a month ago has raised concerns among business associations and civil society organizations that Turkey's national brand will be tarnished abroad.

‘Parallel structure’ case to bring gov’t closer to authoritarianism

Increasing chatter in the Turkish capital indicating that the government may be launching a criminal lawsuit against what it called a “parallel structure” nested in the state is perhaps the latest sign that Turkey is heading quickly towards authoritarian rule under the stewardship of embattled Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

TUSKON says systematic campaign of defamation is under way

The Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists' (TUSKON) has criticized what it said a systematic campaign of defamation against the business conglomolarete, stressing that its business activities that help contribute to Turkish economy should only be welcomed.

Kimse Yok Mu continues to care for needy Pakistanis

Having distributed meat donations to some 1,000 families in Punjab, Pakistan, over the past week, Kimse Yok Mu Foundation also remembered to reach out to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa riddled with security problems. The foundation gave away sewing machines to 125 women, mainly widowed. The volunteers currently provide fabric backup and thus enable the families to make their living. The foundation will also offer 3-month-long sewing training on demand.

Reconciliation in history and cases of political reconciliation

Orhan Miroğlu

There are countless examples in history that illustrate that even the harshest political conflicts have been settled via reconciliation. Would it be a surprise if the growing tension and row between the Hizmet movement and the government is reconciled?

Erdoğan using hate speech against Gülen movement, says MEP

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's accusations against a faith-based movement led by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen amidst a corruption scandal are both uncalled for and amount to “a kind of hate speech” that has the risk of sparking violence against the group, a senior member of the European Parliament has said.

Gülen, Erdoğan’s new agenda item with the West

Sedat Ergin

Not but two months ago, sitting next to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan referred to Turkey’s EU membership bid as a “50-year-long experience,” and told Putin, “Take us to the Shanghai Five and save us from this hassle.”

24 businessmen sue Erdoğan over insulting remarks against Hizmet Movement

Twenty-four businessmen in İstanbul filed a libel suit against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his insulting remarks against the Hizmet Movement members.