Police raid successful Gülen-inspired schools in western Turkey
Date posted: August 18, 2015
Just after another Gülen-inspired school was raided by the police in the southern province of Gaziantep on Monday, private schools established by the volunteers from the Hizmet Movement were raided in the western province of İzmir on Tuesday morning.
The raids took place in the branches of the Yamanlar Education Institutes in several district of the city. The schools are known for their success both in the national highschool and university entrance examinations and international Olympics. Moreover, a kindergarten was also raided in Buca district, reminiscent of the raid at a kindergarten in Zonguldak provice on August 7 in the morning.
Also on Monday, in one of the operations targeting the faith-based Gülen movement, the police along with inspectors from several ministries and institutions conducted raids at eight institutions owned by the Safa Education Institution in Gaziantep on Monday
[Part 5] Gülen says ballot box is not everything in a democracy
Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who has inspired the popular civic and social movement called Hizmet, said the ballot box is not everything, urging his followers to not stick to only one but to cast their votes freely based on their personal conviction. He added that focusing on the ballot box only makes some people comfortable in telling lies.
‘If you are against us, you are the other’
Turkey has been witnessing a rigorous debate for the last couple of weeks over the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) vow to finish off the test prep schools, which are a source of both money and influence for its old ally, the Hizmet Movement led by the self-exiled leader, Fethullah Gülen. Like many controversies in Turkey, the issue of closing the courses and integrating them into Turkey’s poorly-established and -organized education system was not only about the prep schools, which was only the tip of the iceberg.
Lack of tolerance and democracy
It is not a prerequisite for democracy that everyone share the same ideas, culture, beliefs, or lifestyle, living together in unqualified happiness.
A society in which everyone shares the same ideals, interests, ideas, lifestyle, culture, language and beliefs appears to be a more totalitarian than democratic one.
Erdoğan’s harsh, xenophobic rhetoric damages fight against Islamophobia
The increasingly punitive and xenophobic discourse adopted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in recent years has done a huge disservice to the fight against Islamophobia, dealing a blow to the decades-long efforts of organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Hizmet movement in international forums.
Turkish gov’t issues detention warrants for 121 women on Int’l Women’s Day
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued detention warrants on International Women’s Day for 121 women over alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
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.”
Latest News
Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison
Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney
Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement
ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment
New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement
European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests
ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases
Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade
Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet
In Case You Missed It
Judge says judiciary still under tutelage, implies gov’t responsible
Fears for Gulen-inspired Turkish schools in Pakistan grow
This is too much! [About the Lies and Slanders directed to Gulen movement]
Hizmet really has expanded my understanding of what it means to be human.
Arınç calls Gülen’s extradition request a ‘political move’
Fethullah Gülen lawsuit [in the US] thrown out in setback for Turkey’s Erdoğan
