Turkey’s Hizmet Purge Is Seeping into the UK Creating Fear in Some Communities

Government supporters burn photos of Fethullah Gulen, who they believe organized the coup. Petros Giannakouris / AP
Government supporters burn photos of Fethullah Gulen, who they believe organized the coup. Petros Giannakouris / AP


Date posted: July 19, 2016

Over the weekend, we have received 5 reports from individuals who are involved in the delivery of social services here in the UK and who are of Turkish heritage. Law abiding citizens, they have been involved in voluntary service and interfaith activities and have started to receive texts, from within Turkey and beyond the country and which have been circulated far and wide.

The text messages ask for individuals who receive them to inform on members of the Gulen or Hizmet movement and the messages are laced with suggestions that action needs to be taken. The impact of these messages is to create fear within members of the Hizmet movement in the United Kingdom and who are active in social work within and beyond Muslim communities.

We are listing this issue and do not want to comment on Turkey’s internal affairs. They are an issue for Turkey and it is not our remit in Tell MAMA to do so. What we are concerned with, is that issues are spilling into the UK and with large communities of Turkish and Kurdish heritage. These texts are causing fear and are targeted at a group that is Muslim and which is as they say, are in the ‘eye of the storm’ in Turkey. The politics of Turkey is therefore bleeding into the targeting of a specific group of Muslims in the UK and who are part of the Gulen movement. This makes it relevant to us.

We would like to stress that what is needed are cool heads and calm at this period of time. No-one in the UK should be targeted for what is taking place in Turkey and we understand the depth and strength of feeling from members of the public in Turkey against the murderous coup that took place. We will continue to monitor impacts here in the UK and if anyone receives such texts, (listed below), please do get in touch with us and we will progress these through relevant law enforcement channels.

global crackdown on Hizmet

Source: , July 18, 2016

Tags: | | | | |


Related News

Turkish preacher isn’t running terrorist gang

Given the popularity of the Hizmet across the world and lack of evidence that Gülen is indeed linked to terrorism, I believe it will be unequivocally impossible to confirm that the movement is a “separatist terrorist organization,” as claimed by the Turkish president. Gülen always makes a broad social critique of violence, terrorism and racism, while promoting social justice, harmony and peace.

Pakistani Govt deports abducted Turkish teacher and family despite UN protections

The abducted Turkish teacher Mesut Kacmaz and his family were reportedly deported by Pakistani government to Turkey on early Saturday. Lahore High Court had asked Interior Ministry to locate and release the family and not deport them until further notice.

Democracy is vanishing in Turkey, specialist says

Zeynalov reminded the attendees that Erdogan also was arrested a couple of decades ago. That eventually helped him to become famous and won him the elections five years later. But it didn’t stop Erdogan to use the same law for justifying the arrest of Zeynalov in 2014.

In Berlin, inside a Gulen “light-house”

In recent years, the movement has received more scrutiny, not least after its long-time alley, Turkish President Erdogan, publicly split with the group, accusing it of infiltrating state institutions and even outright “terrorism”. Germany’s intelligence services disagree: In 2014, they published an assessment outlining that while some elements within the movement gave room for concern, they didn’t warrant an observation of the movement.

Scholarly views in the aftermath of the coup attempt: A responsible government would rather support the Hizmet Movement

When the Hizmet Movement or Hocaefendi are mentioned specifically by governmentally influenced press in Turkey, it harms Turkey. Yes, it harms Hocaefendi, but not nearly as much as it harms Turkey. Turkey is hurting itself today when it limits political discussion, when it maligns its political adversaries, when it uses political tools and economic tools to harm social services and educational institutions in Turkey.

40-day-old baby, mother under police custody for 4 days: opposition deputy

A Turkish woman who gave birth to her baby 40 days ago, has been kept under police custody along with her newborn over the past four days, according to main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

CSOs across Turkey slam campaign under way to discredit Hizmet movement

Turkish schools

Abant Platform “Africa: Between Experience And Inspiration” Final Declaration

Her mother was detained right after her birth, she is now growing up in Athens

Dismissed policeman detained while applying to post-coup rights commission

Russian analyst: Turkey’s claim Gülen was behind envoy’s killing insult to ‘our intelligence’

Turkey as a “serial” human rights derogator

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News