Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and many Justice and Development Party (AK Party) members are talking about an operation to be launched against the Hizmet community after March 30.
There are even some AK Party deputies who are preparing lists of members of the community to be arrested. Under normal conditions, we would ask them if they are aware of what they are talking about and if it is possible for an operation to be launched against a civil society organization under the prime minister’s orders. But such questions have already lost meaning, as the government staged a coup after Dec. 17 and suspended the Constitution. We all know that Erdoğan and his Cabinet are working to intimidate and divide the community; they are opportunistically carrying out a black propaganda campaign against the community. But there is one thing they are forgetting: Fethullah Gülen‘s stance on corruption and anti-democratic practices has never changed. He is saying today the same thing he said yesterday. Osman Şimşek, the editor of herkul.org, which broadcasts and publishes Gülen’s speeches, recently published a letter that Gülen sent to Erdoğan in May 2006. In the letter, Gülen warns the prime minister that his government had begun to deviate from its democratic line.
Woman detained during visit to imprisoned husband on Valentine’s Day
İ.A.O. was detained when she stopped by the Trabzon prison on Valentine’s Day in a bid to visit her husband H.O., who had been earlier jailed as part of the government’s post-coup witch hunt. The couple’s 6-year-old son, Y.O. was left under his relatives’ care and İ.A.O was ultimately arrested by a court ruling.
Hizmet movement and perceptions
We are going through a very critical period. We need the common sense and support of all the precious members of the Hizmet movement as we have never needed them before. We must protect our democratic gains. I pen this article as a person who closely sided with the Hizmet movement during the attacks of Ergenekon — a clandestine organization nested within the state trying to overthrow or manipulate the democratically elected government — and the deep state, and who backed its justified objections to the government’s plan to shut down the prep schools.
Our new neighbor [Al-Qaeda] poses a great risk for Turkey
Because some European countries failed to share intelligence with Turkey on al-Qaeda militants moving through Turkey to Syria — a dynamic that turned Syria into an Afghanistan and Turkey into a Pakistan — a fairly negative outlook on Turkey emerged. Al-Qaeda and similar organizations were able to step up their presence and activity in Syria by using the Turkey-Syria border, which has become uncontrollable in recent years.
72-year-old Turkish man detained over coup charges
Gülen movement has been accused of masterminding the coup attempt on July 15 despite its successive statements that denied any involvement. Failing to back up its accusations with credible evidence, the government has detained more than 40,000 people and arrested 24,000 over their alleged links to the coup attempt since July 15.
Gov’t effort to bring down bank would have international repercussions
Directing his criticism at the government, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy and parliamentary Justice Commission member Murat Başesgioğlu voiced out “If you attempt to bring down the bank, you will have negative repercussions in the international arena,” adding “No one will take you [government] serious in the international arena, if you attempt to bring down a bank.”
Interview: Professor Greg Barton, counter terrorism expert with Deakin University
Tony Jones speaks with Greg Barton and asks him what is the likely scenario for security in Turkey following President Erdogan’s announcement of a three month state of emergency.
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