Businessmen voice frustration over smear campaign against Hizmet


Date posted: February 2, 2014

AKSEHIR

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.

A large-scale dark propaganda campaign has been conducted by some circles close to the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government against the Hizmet movement and Gülen, particularly since a corruption scandal erupted in December 2013 in which three Cabinet ministers’ sons, many state bureaucrats and also well-known businessmen were implicated. Government officials have accused the Hizmet movement of participating in a plot and using the corruption investigation to damage the government.

AKSİAD Chairman Ali Lütfi Ökesi held a press conference on Sunday in which he stated that hate speech from circles close to the ruling party and the government itself is breaking the hearts of people who only aim to serve humanity and peace.

Last month, 22 businessmen in Ankara filed a lawsuit against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his remarks likening the followers of the Hizmet movement to a historic group of assassins, claiming that he insulted their character.

When speaking about those he accuses of orchestrating the ongoing government corruption investigation, Erdoğan, in a thinly veiled reference to the Hizmet movement, spoke of members of a group who are like “hashashins,” and who had undermined the Turkish state previously in history by committing assassinations.

Dr. Mahir Şahin, one of the plaintiffs, made a statement in front of the courthouse and argued that the people who follow the Hizmet movement, known as the “Cemaat” (community), are openly being targeted by publicly associating them with the corruption probe that broke out on Dec. 17.

Stating that these people are being convicted without evidence or trial, Şahin said that the prime minister is insulting the members of the Hizmet movement by associating them with the first known terrorist organization in history. Hashashins reportedly used to kill people in 12th century Persia and Syria while under the influence of opium. The English word assassin is believed to come from the name of the hashashins, whose leader was a man named Hassan Sabbah.

Source: Todays Zaman , February 2, 2014


Related News

Turkish imam in Australia mobilizes worshippers to spy on Gülen movement

Salih Arslan, a member of the board of the Ankara-funded Süleymaniye mosque in the Australian city of Perth, was revealed to have incited worshippers to spy on followers of the Gülen movement and affiliated institutions, including schools.

Political thunder from Turkey rumbles all the way to New Orleans

And how appalling that they should now be exposed to the atrocious anti-Muslim diatribes of a U.S. presidential candidate not all that different from Erdogan in his threats and his bigotry.

Operation and crossroads: Hizmet movement falsely accused

The delicate position in which the government now finds itself is real, but it is also a fact that the Hizmet movement is being falsely accused.
Those who support the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and are affiliated with the Hizmet movement do not deserve such an outcome.

Turkey’s largest charity group targeted

Turkey’s political Islamists, armed with abusive government powers, are deliberately and maliciously trying to strangle the country’s leading private charity group, Kimse Yok Mu, in order to dismantle an important barrier in front of the awkward social engineering project of turning this moderate Muslim nation into a bastion for ideological zealots.

[Cafe Capital] Excessive attempts to manipulate people’s perceptions to backfire

The tension caused by a Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) bill that is designed to restructure the HSYJ, the witch-hunts against police officers, teachers and other public employees who have been profiled as members of the Hizmet community (Gülen movement) and the victimization of tens of thousands of people have created unease among the general public. People started reacting negatively to the accusations and slander, which went far beyond the limits of criticism against the Hizmet community, and started saying: “This is too much!

Dialogue Platform’s Statement on Developments in Turkey

Dialogue Platform which is connected with Gulen’s mouvement Hizmet, in a Statement denied any involvment in Turkey’s coup. The Statement says: “Our Honorary President Fethullah Gulen has consistently advocated for democracy and insisted “there is no return from the democracy” at every stage of his life. Hizmet participants have always denounced the military interventions and […]

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Synagogue hosts a night of Muslim-Jewish harmony

In Conversation with Fethullah Gülen (Interview in Asharq Al-Awsat-I)

West Hartford State Rep. Receives ‘Statesman of the Year Award’

Lord Mitchell pays a visit to Turkish School

Turkish minister: Gulenists are more dangerous than ISIL because they’re well-educated

Human Rights Watch: Emergency Decrees Facilitate Torture in Turkey

Domestic Violence and Smoking According to Gulen

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News