Turkey Continues Its Witch Hunt Against Gülen Followers
Photos of the individuals arrested and detained. Source: Turkish Minute.
Date posted: September 3, 2016
MICHAEL VAN DER GALIEN
The purges continue unabated in Turkey. On Friday, 218 individuals were arrested on charges of being members of a terrorist organization. Another 421 were detained.
These arrests and detentions took place more than 6 weeks after the Turkish military staged a failed coup. In the meantime, not only the military officers responsible for the coup have been arrested, but the same goes for many others: people who had absolutely nothing to do with the coup, but who are simply accused of sympathizing with Fethullah Gülen, the Islamic scholar Turkey says masterminded the coup.
In what’s becoming a repetitive story, a host of journalists, lawyers, teachers and civil servants were among those arrested by the authorities.
All in all, more than 41,000 people have been detained in recent weeks, and more than 22,000 individuals were arrested. According to the latest reports, a sum total of 130,000 people have lost their jobs.
Ugandan opinion leader refutes news report which defames Hizmet Movement
Speaking to the Cihan news agency, Dr. Anas Abdunoor Kaliisa said he did not give such a statement to Yeni Şafak and such a slander is not unacceptable. “They asked me some questions about Hizmet Movement. I stated that Turkish schools contribute a lot to education of Uganda.
Media freedom in Turkey takes another blow
On Dec. 25, Mahir Zeynalov sent out two tweets. “The first tweet contained a link to a news report about the second wave of a massive graft operation and how police blocked a raid involving more than 40 suspects, including Saudi businessman Yasin al-Qadi — listed as a specially designated terrorist by the United States,” Today’s Zaman reported Jan. 31. Zeynalov’s tweets are no longer present on his Twitter account. “’Turkish prosecutors order police to arrest al-Qaeda affiliates, Erdogan’s appointed police chiefs refuse to comply,’ read the first tweet. In the second tweet, Zeynalov shared a news report detailing al-Qaeda suspects’ escape from the country after police chiefs blocked the raid on Dec. 25.”
Portrait of the Gülen Brotherhood, sworn enemy of Turkey’s President Erdogan
Some are answered by a confidential document produced by the European Union Intelligence and Situation Centre (INTCEN). Nevertheless, its authors feel that the Gülen movement is not behind the coup attempt. There is no evidence that the army (…) and the Gülenists (…) had had any intention to cooperate in overthrowing Erdogan, they say.
Government as a black propaganda machine
In an effort to distract public opinion from the graft probe and the alleged involvement of the prime minister and his inner circle in corruption, Erdoğan has been conducting psychological warfare. Considering the Hizmet movement responsible as the force behind the investigation, Erdoğan declared the movement an enemy.
Belgium firm to sue Turkey over Gülen-linked assets
A Belgian company, Cascade Investments NV, has launched an $80 million arbitration claim against Turkey in the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ISCID).
What’s not to love in this coup?
Up until yesterday, those who were dying to get a good seat in the “Turkish Olympiads”, now shamelessly intimidate the Turkish Olympiads organizers by saying “you think you have grown into a man by making two African and three Asian kids recite a Turkish a song.”
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