AK Party government removing critical voices from state bodies


Date posted: May 14, 2014

GÜNAY HİLAL AYGÜN

The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government launched a major purge across the country against anti-government bureaucrats, especially prosecutors and police officers, following the massive Dec. 17 corruption scandal which implicated government members.

Thousands of policemen and hundreds of prosecutors have been arbitrarily demoted and reassigned to other provinces and positions without any official charges or probes launched against them. Among the reassigned prosecutors are those overseeing the Dec. 17 graft case. In addition to the judiciary and police departments, other state institutions have lately been the subject of mass reassignments by the government. Commentators regard the purges as an attempt to establish complete government control of state bodies by eliminating individuals critical of government acts and anyone affiliated with a group discredited by the government.

The Bugün daily columnist Adem Yavuz Arslan wrote a Wednesday piece titled “The new motto in state institutions: What is your command?” Arslan pointed out that the government is continuing its purge of state institutions, which started shortly after the Dec. 17 police raids, which came as part of a graft probe involving government officials. The purges in the judiciary and the police are now at an outrageous level, Arslan noted, adding that the number of reassigned police officers has recently reached 16,000, and includes many successful police chiefs. The columnist stated that an additional purge was conducted in the Capital Markets Board (SPK) two weeks ago, which was followed by this week’s purge in the Finance Ministry. “Taking into consideration that the prime minister said that this is a ‘witch hunt,’ we can predict that these purges are very likely to continue. Of course, this situation has started to cause fear in state bodies. Many bureaucrats who are just doing their jobs and have no affiliation with any political groups now face [the prospect of] being dismissed with a claim of having links to the Hizmet movement. However, it is widely known that many of the bureaucrats discharged from their posts do not have any links with the movement,” Arslan said.

Arslan wrote that the purges pave the way for the filling of all positions in state institutions with pro-government bureaucrats. Arslan commented that the new public officials will be the kind of people who will obey all orders issued by the government, regardless of their illegality. Arslan also noted that some people are launching smear campaigns against those who currently hold positions they would like, which also gives the government the signal that they are obedient.

According to the Milliyet daily columnist Mehmet Tezkan, the government is trying to project an image to make it seem like stability in the country will continue only if Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan becomes the next president, and that there might be a crisis if he is not elected president. “What will Erdoğan do if he is not elected as the next president? What if the presidential candidate nominated by the opposition parties takes office? Would he tolerate another person attempting to act as head of state and assembling the members of the Cabinet? Could Erdoğan bear him commenting on each issue every single day?” Tezkan wrote.

Source: Todays Zaman , May 14, 2014


Related News

Germany informs Gülen sympathizers about Turkish Intel surveillance

German authorities have informed Turks linked with the Gülen movement about Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MİT) surveillance in Germany. German experts concluded that most of the photos of 300 Turks and 200 schools, associations and organizations that are connected to the Gülen movement were taken secretly by surveillance cameras.

‘A very good representative of the best in Islam, Hizmet contributes to the non-Muslim world’s understanding of Islam’

Hizmet seems to me to be a very good representative of the best in Islam, in terms of being open, feeling a responsibility to the world, and the pluralism that is evidenced in the Koran, which tells us to respect all the prophets and all the people of the book.

Turkish police raid media close to cleric rival Gulen, detain 24

Turkish police raided media outlets close to a U.S.-based Muslim cleric on Sunday and detained 24 people including top executives and ex-police chiefs in operations against what President Tayyip Erdogan calls a terrorist network conspiring to topple him.

Gov’t to destroy 216K math, science textbooks published by Hizmet affiliated publishers

Turkey’s Education Ministry has decided to destroy at least 216,233 copies of math and science textbooks published by publishing houses affiliated with the Gülen movement, according to Hürriyet daily.

Gülen says arms, swords have no place in Hizmet’s philosophy

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has stressed that the idea of pursuing an armed struggle has never had a place in the philosophy of the Hizmet movement

Parents slam Pak-Turk Schools possible handover to Maarif Foundation

Parents of students of Pak-Turk schools and colleges blasted the Pakistan government for handing over the education system to a Turkish nonprofit organization called Maarif Foundation. They said that the schools and colleges would suffer if handed-over to the “poorly-equipped and infamous” Maarif Foundation.

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

UK Clears Gulenists Of Turkey’s ‘Coup’ Accusations

PBS airs story on Gülen movement

Peace Islands Institute Annual Ramadan Dinner

‘I don’t have a home right now’: Turkish NBA player Enes Kanter talks activism, basketball

Moved by Syrian refugees’ woes, U.S. mayors initiate blanket drive

On the mysterious deportations of Turkish teachers

The follower of Hizmet

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News