Rebecca Harms: Working in Gülen-linked educational institutions not a crime


Date posted: July 6, 2017

Rebecca Harms, a member of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, said on Thursday that the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) should take the necessary action to stop countries from extraditing Gülen followers to Turkey.

Speaking during the general assembly of the European Parliament (EP) on Thursday, Harms said working in institutions such as schools or universities with links to the Gülen movement is not a crime and that, similarly, being critical of the government and being a critical journalist are not crimes.

Urging the EP to reject the Turkish government’s “collective crime, persecution and prosecution against followers of the Gülen movement,” Harms likened the Turkish government’s policies to those of Hitler’s Germany.

“It is important for me as a German member of the European Parliament because my country caused Europe to have this bad experience,” she said.

On Thursday, the EP adopted by a large majority of the vote a resolution calling for the freezing of European Union membership negotiations with Turkey if Ankara implements a constitutional overhaul, backed by a referendum in April.

Turkey survived a failed coup on July 15, 2016 in which 249 people died.

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan immediately put the blame on the Gülen movement and speeded up a witch-hunt against sympathizers of the movement, which was also accused by the government of launching a graft probe at the end of 2013 that implicated figures from the AKP and people close to Erdoğan.

Despite Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, whose views inspired the Gülen movement, and the movement having denied the accusations, Erdoğan and the government launched a widespread purge aimed at cleansing sympathizers of the movement from within state institutions, dehumanizing its popular figures and putting them in custody.

Over 138,000 people have been dismissed from their jobs, more than 106,000 were detained and nearly 53,000 jailed over alleged links to the movement.

Source: Turkish Minute , July 7, 2017

Tags: | | | |


Related News

‘I feel like I have been buried alive’: families live in fear and isolation as Erdoğan leads a witch-hunt

The crackdown on possible coup plotters has since been turned into an all-out witch-hunt not only against alleged Gülen sympathisers but also leftists, Kurds and anyone critical of the government.

Who is the winner?

The Gülen community is a movement of volunteers. The real reason for the row is not the community’s attempt to meddle in politics. It is due to its sheer size and public image. As he did with other groups or communities, Erdoğan sought to take full control of the Hizmet movement in an effort to consolidate his power. Following the defeat of the military tutelage, the government saw a convergence of power. However, the Hizmet movement was not a piece of cake which it could swallow easily. The government had previously purged itself of many bureaucrats who are close to the community.

Speaking Truth to Power in Turkey: An Interview with Ekrem Dumanli

Veteran Turkish journalist, newspaper executive and playwright Ekrem Dumanli made headlines after he was detained by Turkish authorities on charges of “forming, leading and being a member of an armed terrorist organization.”

Secret police intervention following suspicion of Turkish murder-plot in Denmark

Swedish Radio today: Danish intelligence averted suspected Turkish plot to use criminal gang to assassinate a Gülenist in Denmark, a NATO ally of Turkey.

Plan to finish off the Hizmet movement

It seems that some groups have planned to finish off the Hizmet movement, which was inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, and start a conflict between the movement and the ruling AK Party.

Gülen slams pro-gov’t media for disseminating lies and blasphemy

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen criticized on Monday the pro-government media in Turkey for spinning the truth and disseminating lies while trying to justify senior officials’ blasphemous remarks. In a speech published on herkul.org, Gülen said a true believer can never lie as lying is the characteristic of the non-believer.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Erdogan’s Arch-Enemy Accuses Turkish President Of Staging Coup, Compares Him To Hitler

Fethullah Gülen lawsuit [in the US] thrown out in setback for Turkey’s Erdoğan

Remarks by Congressman Randy Weber (Representing Texas) at IFLC Washington DC

Gov’t lifts confidentiality of MGK docs for publishing in partisan press

The lethal and bitter aftermath of Turkey’s failed coup

Afghan Parents Complain to UN Over Detention of Turkish Teachers

3 journalists detained after interview with jailed Gülen-linked businessman

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News