Prime Ministry asks president to purge ‘parallel state’ in his office


Date posted: February 20, 2014

 

 

İSTANBUL
The Office of the Prime Minister has submitted a list of people who are allegedly members of the Hizmet movement to President Abdullah Gül, the Taraf daily claimed on Thursday, as part of widespread government attacks on the movement.

In accordance with a systematic purge of people in public institutions who are suspected of having ties to the Hizmet movement, the Office of the Prime Minister reportedly asked Gül to remove such personnel from their positions in the presidential palace. Gül reportedly returned the list, describing the attempt as an “unnecessary task.”

Since the breaking of a corruption probe on Dec. 17, due to which three government ministers resigned, the government has targeted the Hizmet movement, a civic and religious movement inspired by the teachings of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, in an effort to hold it responsible for the corruption investigations.

Thousands of police officers and hundreds of judges and prosecutors have been reassigned on the grounds that they are members of a “parallel state,” without any concrete evidence. In other words, the government is acting on the assumption that sympathizers of the Hizmet movement within the bureaucracy are members of this parallel state, as Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan describes it.

According to the Taraf report, the witch hunt continued at the presidential palace after the government illegally profiled presidency staff to “detect” members of the parallel state. When these reports were submitted to Gül, he dismissed the matter and returned the report to the Office of the Prime Minister.

Source: Todays Zaman , February 20, 2014


Related News

Erdogan plotted Turkey purge before coup, say Brussels spies

The European intelligence contradicts the Turkish government’s claim that exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen was behind the plot to overthrow the Turkish government. Ankara is seeking Mr Gulen’s extradition from the US. The huge wave of arrests was already previously prepared.

Turkish-American community grapples with Turkey coup’s aftermath

Dr. Gokcek said he is not optimistic. He is fearful about the growing tensions in the country and coup sympathizers who might be stigmatized as traitors. On a basic level, Gokcek said, he has been able to sit down and eat with other Turkish-Americans with whom he might not always agree. “Some of those friends, I might not be able to now,” he said.

Colors of world meeting at Turkish Language Olympics

The Turkish schools abroad should top the list of the global brands Turkey has produced. It’s not easy for a brand to make a name for itself. Sustainability matters as much as other qualifications do. There have been so many enterprises that started to fade from the very beginning. In this respect, the Turkish schools have been our international brand that keeps the bar highest in their work all the time.

Under arrest for months, 62-year-old teacher dies of cancer in prison

Arrested for raising donations on behalf of a Gülen movement-linked charity, 62-year-old religion and ethics teacher Hüseyin Pembe passed away after his battle with cancer in prison on June 1.

Defamation campaign against Hizmet condemned by CSOs from across country

A large-scale dark propaganda war is being 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 of 2013 in which three Cabinet ministers’ sons, many state bureaucrats and renowned businessmen accused of giving bribes in exchange for favors were implicated.

Human Rights Watch: Emergency Decrees Facilitate Torture in Turkey

Turkish police have tortured and otherwise ill-treated individuals in their custody after emergency decrees removed crucial safeguards in the wake of a failed coup attempt in July, 2016, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The report details 13 cases of alleged abuse, including stress positions, sleep deprivation, severe beatings, sexual abuse, and rape threats, since the coup attempt.

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

Uplifting Orphans in Moldova

‘I wanted to die during torture’ – teacher speaks on 2016 coup arrest

IFJ representative denied permission to visit journalist Karaca in prison

Foreign students express bewilderment over gov’t bid to close Turkish schools

Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu represents Turkey at UN summit

Erdoğan Is Destroying Turkey’s Hopes for Democracy

Bank Asya says raising capital, set for growth

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News