MP close to Gülen quits ruling AKP, slams accusations against Islamic scholar


Date posted: February 7, 2014

ANKARA

The unprecedented wave of defections from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) continues, with İzmir MP İlhan İşbilen announcing his resignation Feb. 7 and criticizing the government’s stance against the U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

İşbilen became the seventh member to resign from the AKP since the massive graft scandal went public on Dec. 17 and the ninth since the test prep school row that created the rift between Gülen’s Hizmet (Service) movement and the government.

The lawmaker, who is known for his closeness to the movement, said he has known Gülen for more than 50 years and has never heard such harsh words being directed against him.

“Despite everything I’ve waited, thinking that I could mediate between Fethullah Gülen and the prime minister. If the prime minister wanted this problem solved quietly, he would have probably called me,” İşbilen said.

He said he even asked for a meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the issue, “but the answer that I expected did not come.”

İşbilen also revealed that Erdoğan wanted to meet Gülen during his U.S. visit last May, eventually sending Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç.

“Didn’t Arınç, [Foreign Minister Ahmet] Davutoğlu, and [ex-Economy Minister Zafer] Çağlayan meet with Gülen and get their blessing?” İşbilen asked, while denouncing the accusations made against Gülen.

İşbilen rejected claims that Gülen asked lawmakers close to his movement to resign from the AKP, adding that he had not spoken to the scholar for over two months.

“But I have come to the point where even my close friends asked me: How could I remain in the party in spite of the harsh attacks against the Hizmet movement and Fethullah Gülen?” he said.

İşbilen also said that he learned bugs were placed in his house while pressure was exerted on the “foundation” of his wife and sister.

“At this stage, I don’t think there is any reason left for me to stay in the AKP,” he said.

Erdoğan has repeatedly accused Gülen’s movement of orchestrating the graft probe in order to damage the government, denouncing a “parallel state” within the police and the judiciary. The government has conducted massive purges within the police and the judiciary in the aftermath of the probe, interpreted as being directed at officials thought to be linked to the Hizmet movement.

Source: Hurriyet Daily , February 7, 2014


Related News

Women’s involvment in Gulen Movement

Suveyda Karakaya of University of Tennessee presents her paper “Women in the Hizmet Movement: Traditionalists or Modernists?” which examines the women’s involvement and attitudes towards issues surrounding their position in the movement, at the international conference “The Gulen Movement: Paradigms, Projects, and Aspirations.” The international conference took place on November 11-13, 2010 at International House […]

Turkish Gov’t Systematically Violated 12 Fundamental Rights During Emergency Rule

Sezgin Tanrıkulu, a deputy from Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has announced that Turkish government has systematically violated 12 fundamental human rights during the ongoing state of emergency in the country.

Pro-gov’t dailies call Japanese foundation ‘parallel’ to denigrate award for Gülen

Several pro-government dailies have run stories with far-fetched allegations that a prestigious peace award was presented to Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen thanks to the sponsorship of a “parallel” — a defamatory term invented by the ruling party to describe Gülen and his sympathizers — foundation, even though the organization was founded in Japan.

Kids with Down syndrome suffer from major health problems in absence of jailed teacher father

M.O., a dismissed teacher and father of two kids with 92 and 98 percent disability ratings, has reportedly been kept in an Antalya prison for almost 4 months over alleged links to the Gülen movement. “We did not do anything wrong. My kids are 9 and 4 years old. We have no income, no job and no insurance. Nothing,” his wife said.

You couldn’t meet a nicer bunch of people: answer to defamation

Why do some portray Gülen and the residents of the retreat center, where he lives, as terrorists, while their neighbors describ them as “you couldn’t meet a nicer bunch of people”? Fethullah Gülen is one of the fruit-bearing trees of our time. He is as tall as the pine trees of the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, where […]

Ex-AK Party delegate slams persecution of Hizmet movement

There are few individuals in Turkish political history with such a long career as Haluk Özdalga. Having formerly served with the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Republican Peoples Party (CHP), Özdalga joined the AK Party (the ruling Justice and Development party) with high hopes for democracy in 2007.

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

40-day-old baby, mother under police custody for 4 days: opposition deputy

World Refugee Day Message from Fethullah Gülen

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

Experiences with Hizmet and the Followers of Fethullah Gülen

Crimes Against Humanity in Erdogan’s Turkey

Germany: Turkish Intel’s spy list may be deliberate provocation

Chief Minister inaugurates housing units for flood affectees

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News