Gülen says he supports broader press freedoms


Date posted: March 27, 2012

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has said he advocates broader rights specifically in the arenas of freedom of expression and freedom of the press for journalists, including those who “unjustly” accuse him of conspiring against them.

The allegations were recently voiced following the recent release of four journalists released pending trial in the OdaTV case, launched as part of a probe into Ergenekon –a clandestine criminal network accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

“As I expressed earlier, I am in favor of a broader enforcement of freedom of expression and the press,” Gülen said on his Twitter account on Monday in response to recent accusations against him and the faith-based movement inspired by him of being behind a recent coup plot case against some journalists. The allegations were recently voiced following the recent release of four journalists released pending trial in the OdaTV case, launched as part of a probe into Ergenekon –a clandestine criminal network accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

Journalist Ahmet Şık, one of the four journalists imprisoned, accused some members of the Gülen movement of conspiring against him as he was leaving Silivri Prison. “The judges, prosecutors and police officers who plotted and implemented this conspiracy will be put in prison. Those community-linked, gang-linked people will be here. Justice will be served when they enter here,” he told reporters. He was referring to the movement in using the word “community.”

Gülen said he supports ever broader freedoms for journalists who direct accusations at him. “I am also in favor of their free usage of their freedoms of expression, thought and the press even if they have completely opposite views and they, unjustly, blame me for what happened to them,” Gülen said. The Gülen movement is a group of volunteers engaged in interfaith and intercultural dialogue inspired by the ideas of Gülen, whose teachings promote mutual understanding and tolerance between cultures.

Commenting on Gülen’s remarks, his lawyer, Orhan Erdemli, explained that his client has many times in the past said he is a strong defender of freedom of the press. Stating that Gülen also takes criticism of his person within the scope of freedom of expression, he added, however, that this freedom is being misused against Gülen as serious insults are leveled against his client.

Erdemli said Gülen has also been charged in the past for his opinions. “Those who today regard unjust and heavy accusations [against Gülen] within the scope of freedom of expression did not raise a voice when my client was being charged due to his thoughts,” he complained.

Source: Today’s Zaman http://www.todayszaman.com/news-275508-gulen-says-supports-broader-rights-for-journalists.html


Related News

Gülen calls for broadening freedoms, improvement in Kurdish rights

Well-known Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has encouraged the broadening of rights and freedoms of people and the improvement of ties with Kurds to restore peace and security in areas long plagued by a simmering conflict that has killed at least 40,000 people. Speaking to Rudaw, an online newspaper in northern Iraq’s Arbil, Gülen touched […]

Hakan Yavuz: Der Spiegel’s inflammatory, biased journalism on Turkey story shocked me

A Turkish-American professor has slammed German Der Spiegel’s what he called “inflammatory and biased” reporting in its article about the movement associated with Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. “Reading today’s article on the Gülen movement was a real shock for me,” Yavuz, who is a professor at the University of Utah, told Today’s Zaman, referring […]

668 Babies to welcome Eid Al-Adha in Turkish prisons

Six hundred sixty-eight children under the age of 6 will welcome the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha on Friday in jails across Turkey where they are staying with their mothers. There are 149 infants younger than 12 months in prisons.

Is it a parallel triangle or square?

The content of a secret meeting on Syria was leaked to the media. This paper made a headline back then asking for accountability for the leak as well as the horrible plans discussed at that meeting. What did the prime minister do? Without offering evidence, he declared that the Hizmet movement was the culprit; a few days ago, he admitted that they were unable to identify the perpetrators. So, why did you declare the movement responsible for it?

Dialogue Platform’s Statement on Developments in Turkey

Dialogue Platform which is connected with Gulen’s mouvement Hizmet, in a Statement denied any involvment in Turkey’s coup. The Statement says: “Our Honorary President Fethullah Gulen has consistently advocated for democracy and insisted “there is no return from the democracy” at every stage of his life. Hizmet participants have always denounced the military interventions and […]

Police detain another woman shortly after delivery, bringing total to 16

Ayşe Kaya, 30-year-old woman who gave birth to a baby in İstanbul early on Tuesday, was reportedly detained by police with her newborn baby later the same day. Turkish government has systematically been detaining women on coup charges either when they are pregnant or shortly after giving birth. This incident is the second in a week and 16th in the past 9 months.

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

The responsibility of the Hizmet movement

Gulen’s interview with Russian media: I don’t worry about Turkey’s extradition request

Turkey blacklists 68 companies including Germany’s Daimler, BASF over Gülen links

Kimse Yok Mu medical volunteers in the Philippines

On Gülen vs Erdogan – “And not equal are the good deed and the bad”

Dismissed top editor of Zaman: We made a mistake by not objecting to the imprisonment of journalists

Sacred, Secular, Twin Tolerations and the Hizmet Movement

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News