Threat to destroy the Hizmet Movement a hate crime

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statements targeting the Hizmet movement saying “either they will accept the presence of this state or they will disappear” is a clear hate crime, prosecutable at the Hague.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statements targeting the Hizmet movement saying “either they will accept the presence of this state or they will disappear” is a clear hate crime, prosecutable at the Hague.


Date posted: April 30, 2015

ERKAN ACAR

Erdoğan’s harsh attacks on the Hizmet movement, consisting of followers and sympathizers of Fethullah Gülen, reached a summit when he stated on Tuesday, “from A to Z everyone in this organization needs to pay the price. Either they will accept the presence of this state or they will disappear.”

Marmara University professor and constitutional law expert İbrahim Kaboğlu slammed the rhetoric as a clear hate crime. “Such radical statements and threats are definitely a hate crime. It is not the first.” His sentiments were shared by criminal law expert and President of the Human Rights Agenda, Prof. Günal Kurşun. “Erdoğan’s statements were a hate crime. The vengeful statements are increasing by the day. I would hope that they would not reach to the point of an act of genocide.” He added that Turkey has yet to even face up to past killings and massacres.

Prof Sami Karahan from the Marmara University Law Faculty elaborated on the severe and broad-based implications of Erdoğan’s statements. “Individuals are being fired from TÜBİTAK. Schools are being taken over. Mobile operator AVEA is refusing to serve individuals of a certain point of view. Bank Asya is being overhauled. Soon the seizure of assets will follow. The effects of the destruction policy is being down to the base of society. Such matters are a concern for The Hague.”

Prof Karahan argued that the President’s statements may even be regarded as an act of genocide per the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court’s sixth clause, which states the following:

“For the purpose of this Statute, “genocide” means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such:

(a) Killing members of the group;

(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.”

He further added “the statements [of Erdoğan] can be prosecuted in the Hague.” The Marmara University law professor expressed that Erdoğan should have instead preferred to say “everyone has to abide by the constitution,” adding that the people have the right to challenge any violations of the constitution.

Source: BGNNews , April 30, 2015


Related News

An AKP-neo-nationalist axis?

Emre Uslu, 14 March 2012 Turkey’s foremost thinker, Etyen Mahçupyan, in the Zaman daily, underlined an interesting rapprochement between the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and the neo-nationalist (Ulusalcı) camp in Turkey. Mahçupyan listed a number of indicators to provide evidence for his argument. Indeed, the indicators he gives are worrisome and show possible […]

Hizmet really has expanded my understanding of what it means to be human.

Kenneth Hunter is the Principal of the Prosser Career Academy High School. He studied theology at Chicago Loyola University and taught world religions in high schools. He served as the chairperson of Illinois State Board of Education Language Arts Assessment Advisory Council (2002-2012). He is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Chicago.

Romanian appeals court denies Turkey’s request for extradition of Erdoğan critic

The Bucharest Court of Appeal has denied the extradition of educator Fatih Gürsoy on dubious terrorism charges brought by the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and underlined the fact that the Lumina Educational Institutions “operates according to the Romanian law.”

Dr. Esposito: The Gulen Movement Introduces Turkey To The World

AYTEN ÇİFTÇİ İSTANBUL – Oct.9, 2011 John L. Esposito, an American Professor of Islam, praised the Gulen Movement and the Turkish Schools operating around the world. He said: “ They have one goal. That is to enlighten the world with education. This is why we need the Gülen Movement in this age.” Dr. John L. […]

Efforts to accuse Hizmet movement of conspiracy failed, says lawyer

With the courts continuing to release police officers arrested in government-backed investigations, the lawyer of one of these officers says the court decisions have shown that the government is failing to demonstrate that the faith-based Hizmet movement was behind efforts to overthrow the government.

Biden’s office refutes Turkish minister’s claim that US has proof Gülenists plotted coup

US Vice President Joe Biden’s office refuted a claim made by Bekir Bozdağ, justice minister of Turkey, who said on Thursday night that Biden had confirmed that substantive information on the involvement of US-based Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen had been received by the US as part of an extradition request submitted by Ankara this month.

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

Gulen says he is certain Erdogan behind failed Turkey coup

Exiled cleric Gulen explains why he thinks Erdogan has branded him a terrorist

İstanbul hosts dialogue leaders to discuss tolerance in education

Abant tackles contentious issue of drafting new constitution

Hizmet movement sticks to principles, AK Party transformed by the state

Turkey Carries Out Major NATO Purge

Enes Kanter – A Dervish in the NBA

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News