Date posted: July 18, 2016
As a wave of violence washed over Turkey, President Erdogan pointed the finger of blame to Fethullah Gulen. In a rare interview with CNN’s
Source: CNN , July 16, 2016
Tags: Defamation of Hizmet | Fethullah Gulen | Hizmet and politics | Military coups in Turkey |

Contrary to accusations made by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Turkish government, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the UK Parliament has concluded that Fethullah Gülen and the movement he inspired as a whole were not behind a failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15.

At this point, the only thing Erdoğan can do is manufacture false charges and evidence against the Hizmet movement, which wouldn’t be persuasive. In a normal democratic state where the rule of law is cherished, there must be concrete evidence to press charges against anyone, and those so charged are presumed innocent until they are proven guilty. In a party state, however, imaginary charges are first voiced and then meddlesome public authorities manufacture crimes and criminals to fit those charges.

Turkish police have reportedly detained two producers from Samanyolu TV in the first wave of what was said to be a large-scale operation against the media across Turkey.

Kimse Yok Mu Foundation (KYM) shared the Ramadan joy with the orphan in Benin, the country of the PM Yavi, who himself is an orphan as well. The foundation uplifted hundreds of orphans at the Ramadan event in the floating Beninese city Cotonou. The orphan children broke their fast with the food by KYM and enjoyed a day that they will always remember.

HRW report: “People continued to be arrested and remanded to pretrial custody on terrorism charges, with at least 50,000 remanded to pretrial detention and many more prosecuted since the failed coup. Those prosecuted include journalists, civil servants, teachers and politicians as well as police officers and military personnel. Most were accused of being followers of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gülen. Their charge often lacked compelling evidence of criminal activity.”

Democratic Left Party (DSP) Chairman Masum Türker has said that controversial decisions made by the National Security Council (MGK) to curb the activities of the Gülen movement were ignored by former Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit in 2000 but signed by then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Aug. 25, 2004.
