72-year-old Turkish man detained over coup charges
Date posted: September 21, 2016
A total of 12 people, among them a 72-year-old Turkish man, were detained as part of an investigation into the Gülen movement in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak on Monday.
The elderly man, known by initials H.A., was brought to the court for testimony by the help of gendarmerie officers with a stick on his hand.
Detainees were reportedly suspected of having used ByLock, a smartphone messaging application or what Turkish prosecutors calls the top communication tool among the members of the movement. Apart from suspected of the Bylock use, H.A. is allegedly accused of being the representative of the movement in a village in Zonguldak.
Gülen movement has been accused of masterminding the coup attempt on July 15 despite its successive statements that denied any involvement. Failing to back up its accusations with credible evidence, the government has detained more than 40,000 people and arrested 24,000 over their alleged links to the coup attempt since July 15.
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In the past, the Hizmet movement never formed alliances or got involved in an organic relationship with any political party. At the same time, it never ever demanded anything from political parties that strayed outside of the above-outlined principles, or was contrary to rights, the law, democracy, merit or the will of God. The Hizmet movement gains its strength from this fullness of heart and independence.
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Post-Kemalist but still illiberal Turkey
Many, including myself, expected that the defeat of Kemalism by a broad coalition of liberals, democrats and conservatives under the political leadership of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) would lead to a democratic regime in Turkey with a liberal constitution. Yes, Kemalism is dead but its state-centric, Jacobin and illiberal sprit has been reincarnated in the ruling AK Party. The similarities in the attitude and the policies of the AK Party and its Kemalist predecessors are striking.
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