Lawyer rejects alleged Gülen remarks published by leftist daily


Date posted: October 11, 2013

The lawyer of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has denied alleged remarks made by his client against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) that were published by a leftist daily on Oct. 9.

The leftist Birgün daily published the transcript of an alleged audio recording, which the newspaper claims belongs to Gülen and which was first released by a hacker group, Roj Hack, on the Internet.

Gülen’s lawyer, Orhan Erdemli, refuted the allegations, saying the Islamic scholar did not issue any statement about ruling AK Party and pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputies, let alone one intended to “create political disorder,” as the daily report claimed.

According to Birgün’s report, Gülen told his followers that the AK Party is ruled by the cemaat — a term is used to refer to the Gülen movement in Turkey — and ordered his disciples to disseminate disinformation and negative speculations about the BDP deputies to discredit them in the eyes of the public.

“All of the claims about Gülen are groundless and fabricated. Unlike what was claimed in the daily report, my client hasn’t held any press conference or issued any such remarks. It is impossible to accept these kinds of reports, which clearly have no relation to responsible and objective journalism, within the scope of press freedom,” Erdemli said in a statement, accusing Birgün of carrying out a smear campaign against Gülen.

Source: Today's Zaman , October 11, 2013

Tags: |


Related News

UN and OSCE experts deplore crackdown on journalists and media outlets in Turkey

UN / OSCE: The Government’s purging of personnel and institutions of what it perceives as being dissenting and critical voices, solely on the basis of allegations of membership in the Gülen movement, clearly violates standards of international human rights law.

UK Clears Gulenists Of Turkey’s ‘Coup’ Accusations

On Saturday the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee issued a report on the UK’s relations with Turkey, in which the Erdoğan government’s claim that Gülenists masterminded the 15 July coup attempt is refuted.

Understanding of Muslims in US is limited, says scholar

“Part of what we are doing involves interfaith work,” says Turk, and he brings up the role of the Pacifica Institute in California that does similar work in accordance with the teachings of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. “The same values are taught by Gülen,” Turk says, and adds that students from the Gülen-inspired Hizmet movement attend Bayan Claremont as well. “We are educating the next generation of Islamic scholars and community leaders,” Turk says.

Hizmet movement rejects claim of forming political party

Hizmet says it is both practically and theoretically impossible to form a political party or to support a specific party, as it has volunteers from many different political ideologies. “This movement, which has no other goals than to serve humanity, would only advise its volunteers to form their political stances according to certain principles, like human rights, democracy, transparency, justice, pluralism, rule of law and freedom of expression and belief,” the statement said.

Filipino student wins Turkish international schools contest

Close to 4,000 spectators watched in awe as students from Turkish schools spanning across 15 countries and four continents sang songs from their own regions and cultures, including Kyrgyzstan, the United States and Tanzania.

Turkey’s coup attempt & a more intimate view of the Hizmet Movement

Working towards this vision of the world, the Gulen Movement focus primarily in three areas: creating high achieving educational institutions from elementary schools to universities; establishing interfaith dialogue organizations where leaders from different religions as well as public official come together to find and share common grounds at a local and international level; and providing emergency relief in disaster areas around the world.

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

Bank Asya sells stakes in 2 subsidiaries

Gülen warns against adventurism, using force against Kurds

Gulen, Erdogan and democracy in Turkey

Concluding statement of the International panel on Mary announced

12-year-old denied departure from Turkey for treatment in Cuba dies of cancer

Before Oprah: Scholar’s Philanthropic Work Has Huge Impact on Africa

Local, foreign participants debate Turkish democracy at Abant platform

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News