You are free to touch Hizmet movement

Mustafa Akyol
Mustafa Akyol


Date posted: April 20, 2012

Luke Montgomery, HOUSTON, April 20, 2012

Luke Montgomery of Washington Times Interviewed Mustafa Akyol, author of the book, Islam Without Extremes—A Muslim Case for Liberty. Mustafa Akyol tries to lay the philosophical foundation for liberal democracy in Muslim society. One of the questions asked is about imprisonment of journalist Ahmet Şık. It was claimed in Turkish and international media that Hizmet movement (aka Gulen movement) was behind his arrest and imprisonment. Below is the the question and and summary of the answer. You may find full answer and read the whole interview here. We are not able to publish the complete interview because of copyright but hope that you will go to original page and read it.

Luke Montgomery: Last year, Turkish journalist Ahmet Şık wrote a book entitled You Touch, You Burn (Dokunan Yanar) targeting the Gülen movement. Before the book was even published, he was arrested and thrown in jail. What happened to moderate and tolerant Islam in this case?

Mustafa Akyol: First, I have opposed the arrest of Ahmet Şık and similar journalists from the very beginning. I’m so glad that they are free now after being imprisoned for a year. This incident shows that the Turkish legal system is still very authoritarian and illiberal when it comes to freedom of speech.

These journalists were accused of being in an organization with some radical generals who wanted to conduct a coup. Now, I think that accusation was overblown, but at the end of the day that was the reason they were arrested. Yes, they had criticized the Gülen movement, but I don’t think that was the reason they were arrested.

There are other journalists, very secular journalists who have denounced Fethullah Gülen and his movement, defined him as a CIA agent or a secret Christian, all sorts of things, but they have never been imprisoned.

Source: Washington Times http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/looking-luke/2012/apr/20/islam-without-extremes-muslim-case-liberty-intervi/

Tags: | |


Related News

Detainee says was pushed to make accusations about Gülen movement

Cleaning company owner Abdullah Yıldırım, who testified in court as part of an investigation launched based on a complaint from Okyanus Group CEO Nusret Argun, said police officers encouraged him to make accusations about the faith-based Gülen movement during interrogation.

Islam’s internal enemies

Caliph Omar, who is renowned for his attention to justice, paid a visit to sacred sites after taking over control of Jerusalem from Governor Sophronius. He visited Masjid al Aqsa and later also wanted to see the Church of Resurrection where, according to Christian belief, Jesus was crucified and prepared for burial. Sophronius, who was walking with Omar, recalled that he performed prayers everywhere he visited and asked him to do the same at the church. Omar rejected the request saying, “If I perform prayer here, Muslims will build a mosque on this very spot.” Instead he found an empty area to the south of the church for prayer, upon which Muslims thereafter erected a mosque named after Omar.

Medialog Platform hosts digital media experts from Europe and Asia

Media representative and academics from some 20 European and Asian countries have come to Istanbul to discuss the status of the digital media in the new era in the conference, “Understanding Communications in the New Media Era.” Participants called for cooperation and dialogue in the process. During the conference, academics made interesting presentations and exchanged […]

My Nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize is Fethullah Gulen

Fehmi Koru, Houston, Texas 15 October 2005 I do not have a voting right for Nobel nominations, but if I did, my nomination for the peace prize is ready: Fethullah Gulen. Of course, I know he’s controversial even in Turkey, he doesn’t appear in public anymore, he seldom grants interviews, yet nevertheless many in Turkey […]

Attacking the Journalists and Writers Foundation

Last week, I wrote: “The AKP [Justice and Development Party] is planning to rig the elections by using state power. It is also trying to distort the real election agenda.

Government [in Turkey] replaces military in defamation tactics

LALE KEMAL A Turkish daily’s publication last week of a secret document dated to August, 2004 has sent shock waves through Turkish politics, which is becoming increasingly polarized ahead of the three elections Turkey will undergo before 2015. The secret document in question, published by the liberal Taraf daily, was about the once-infamous National Security […]

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

Are ambassadors propaganda officials for the ruling party?

Jews and Muslims Break Their Fasts Together

Fethullah Gulen’s Video Message for International Women’s Day

Report: Turkey’s purge risks isolating its higher education from int’l academia

GYV Declaration: The AKP and Hizmet on democracy

Ethio-Turkish Schools receive “Certificate of Appreciation’ from African Union

Targeted by dictator, Turkish family seeks refuge in Albany

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News