Criminal complaint filed against media organizations publishing Gülen’s speeches

Turkish Islamic Scholar Fethullah Gülen. (Photo: Cihan)
Turkish Islamic Scholar Fethullah Gülen. (Photo: Cihan)


Date posted: September 2, 2015

An organization called the Law and Democracy Foundation which was established by lawyer Mehmet Ali Canlı, a Justice and Development Party (AK Party) hopeful in the June 7 general election, on Wednesday filed a criminal complaint against media organizations that publish the speeches ofFethullah Gülen, a renowned Islamic scholar.

The move came a day after Turkish police raided İpek Media Group in a government-backed operation in an attempt to silence media critical of the government.

Canlı, who ran as a deputy in June and failed to be elected to Parliament, made a statement to the press in front of Ankara Courthouse, saying that public prosecutors failed to fulfill their duty by not taking any action against the named media outlets up until now.

The organization also filed a criminal complaint against the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), which Canlı said never imposed any sanctions on the media outlets. The media outlets mentioned in the complaint included TV stations Samanyolu, S Haber, Mehtap, Bugün and Kanaltürk, the newspapers Today’s Zaman, Zaman and Meydan, and the website herkül.org.

Canlı also claimed that access to these publications should have been blocked long before he filed his complaint.

The AK Party declared a war against the Gülen movement, so called as it is inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Gülen, after a corruption scandal involving four government ministers and their sons went public on Dec. 17, 2013. In an effort to discredit the graft probes, the government has labeled them as a coup attempt against the government by the Gülen movement.

Source: Today's Zaman , September 02, 2015


Related News

Countering Violent Extremism Symposium draws significant participation

Jointly organized by Intercultural Dialog Platform and Gulen Chair at Ku Leuven in Brussels, Belgium, Countering Violent Extremism: Mujahada and Muslims’ Responsibility Symposium was attended by some 400 including academics, opinion leaders and NGO representatives.

How It Feels to Be a Dissident in Turkey After the Failed Military Coup

LOUISE CALLAGHAN To plan a speedy political exile from Turkey today, you need two things: a world map and the Wikipedia page on “visa entry requirements for Turkish citizens.” If you get out a highlighter and start cross-referencing the two, you’ll quickly see the bottom half of the map is more accessible than the top. […]

Veteran who lost legs in PKK attack removed from civil service over Gulen links

A Kırıkkale man who lost his both legs in a PKK attack while doing military service in the eastern province of Bingöl, has been sacked from a state institution after authorities found out that private colleges linked to Gülen Movement granted scholarship to his children.

Hate speech creates new opportunities for Hizmet movement

The effects of the ruling party’s persistent hate speech against the Hizmet movement on non- Hizmet groups can be examined by dividing the groups into two categories: conservative groups and other groups.

Police raid prominent journalists’ foundation GYV in Turkey

GYV’s members strongly protested the police measure. Underlining that the raid violated standard protocol, high-ranking GYV official Recep Usta expressed; “the protocol states that VGM technical teams can come to the building and conduct examinations; and should they find any violation, a period of a month is granted to us [to fix any issues].

Fethullah Gülen’s Message of Condolences for the El Paso and Dayton Attacks

These attacks which are assaults on the sanctity of human life shatter our hearts but should strengthen our eagerness in serving the goal of living together peacefully and should also lead us to a societal self-examination.

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

Standing by the Education Rights of Schoolgirls

Dismissed police officer dies of heart attack in German refugee camp

Winds of friendship were enjoyed in different parts of Turkey during the month of Muharram

Pacifica Institute Utah hosts ‘Love is a Verb’ screening for interfaith season

66 U.S. senators sign letter asking Turkey to release Pastor Andrew Brunson

TUSKON’s Meral tells Turkish firms in Germany to open to world

Journalist reveals inspiring story of Turkish schools in book

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News