The Hizmet movement and participatory democracy

The Hizmet movement’s objections make an important contribution to the formation of participatory democracy in Turkey. So far, Turkish democracy was a game among political parties in the absence of a strong civil society and market actors.

Pro-government paper claims with photoshopped image that Gülen has Vatican passport

In one more of a series of fabricated reports, the pro-government Takvim newspaper ran a lead story on Saturday claiming that Muslim scholar Fethullah Gülen holds a passport from the Vatican since he receives instructions from the Catholic Church. It was discovered that an image of a Vatican passport found on Google was photoshopped by Takvim daily.

Corruption investigation: Questions that will hound PM Erdoğan

Everyone is wondering now what is behind the corruption investigation, and the first “suspect” to come to many minds is the Islamist Gülen movement. Tensions between this group and the AKP have been rising over the years, and boiled over recently due to the prep-school issue – a matter that has received wide media coverage.

The Gülen movement denies this but the vitriol flying between daily Zaman, which is close to Gülen, and Yeni Şafak, which is staunchly pro-AKP, is enough to give one a sense of the bitter struggle involved.

Now it is time to answer

All Cemaat did was to oppose to the closing of test-preparation centers… The corruption investigation that erupted after, is billed to Cemaat by the PM himself.

Prominent columnist Bağdat slams persecution of Hizmet

Popular daily columnist Hayko Bağdat called for a halt of the witch hunt against Hizmet and expressed the need for tolerance for all social groups in Turkey.

New book examines efforts to link Gülen to every probe

A recently published book authored by journalist Nazlı Ilıcak tries to shed light on allegations that point to the faith-based Gülen movement as the driving force behind some ongoing trials in Turkey that aim to cleanse the country of anti-democratic formations. Ilıcak’s book, “Her Taşın Altında ‘The Cemaat’ mi Var?” (Is the “The Movement” behind […]