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

Row between Turkish government and Gulen Movement takes new twist

The row between Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Fethullah Gulen’s Hizmet Movement, one of the most influential religious communities in the country, has taken an interesting twist after the revelation of a 2004 document. In 2004, the National Security Council proposed a clampdown on the Gulen movement (aka Hizmet), which suggested that harsh sanctions should be enforced on them.

Gülen-linked gold firm’s operations halted for second time in two months

Gold firm Koza Altın’s operations at a mine in the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir have been suspended by the governorship, two months after the halting of another mine belonging to company known to have close ties with Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Pro-gov’t columnist: Turkish state must assassinate Fethullah Gülen

Fatih Tezcan, a pro-government columnist, said in a video that he is sure the Turkish state had embedded a secret agent in the Gülen movement and that now it is time for him to “terminate” Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. During his 1.08-minute video, Tezcan curses the Gülen movement and the US-based Gülen and says that the murder of Gülen is something desired by the entire Muslim world.

Turkey’s Erdogan and ISIS’ new breeding ground

Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan appears to be having a double dealings on taking the fight to ISIS. He has instead prefer a cosmetic approach in tackling the terrorist group. It is high time Erdogan purged himself of insincerity and religious rhetoric in the fight against ISIS and joined forces with other leaders to bring enduring peace to Turkey, the Middle-East and the various parts of the world.

Gulen Movement, civilian governments and the AK Party

The Gulen movement’s understanding of politics and the political process differentiate it from the military and bureaucratic elite. Its main political objective is to transform society by raising the moral consciousness of individuals. By raising moral consciousness, the movement hopes to cleanse the bureaucracy of widespread corruption, increase the efficiency and transparency of state institutions, reinvigorate public work ethic to serve the people in order to enhance the legitimacy of the state, and create opportunity spaces for marginalized sectors of the Anatolian population.

Court imposes punitive fine on author for libeling Gülen family

Mısıroğlu was found guilty of fabricating lies about Gülen’s father and grandfather in his book, “Manipulation Movements from Past to Present – 3.”
Gülen’s brothers Seyfullah and Salih Gülen and his uncle Seyfettin Gülen sued the author at the 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, arguing that the claims in the book are baseless and defamatory. Fethullah Gülen’s lawyers have filed a second libel suit against Mısıroğlu at the İstanbul 12th Criminal Court of First Instance.

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

“The Broken Jug” now in the languages of the world

Kimse Yok Mu helps 2 mln people across the world during Ramadan

Former director of Turkish schools in Pakistan and his family kidnapped

Rumi Forum chooses solutions to problems for essay contest

Gülen Movement done nothing wrong, rather improved lives of the masses

Saylorsburg cleric sends statement to Muslim-Catholic conference

Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu opens two orphanages in Burundi

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News