Ergun Poyraz to pay compensation for slandering Fethullah Gulen in his book

Ergun Poyraz
Ergun Poyraz


Date posted: March 13, 2013

AYŞENUR PARILDAK

Ergun Poyraz, defendant detainee of Ergenekon Trial, was fined for violating the rights of Fethullah Gulen, in his book “The Imam in America”. With the lawsuit that is filed by Orhan Erdemli, Gulen’s lawyer, Poyraz Publishing and Bizim Avrasya Publishing were sentenced to a total of 5 thousand Turkish Liras compensation.

In Ergun Poyraz’s book “The Imam in America”, unfounded allegations are introduced in order to create public hatred against Gulen. Poyraz accuses Gulen for being a US secret agent and supporter of Abdullah Ocalan (leader of PKK terrorist organization). He mocks Gulen by using “F-Type” expression (a type of prison built in letter ‘F’ shape in Turkey) in many places when he refers to him. Despite Gulen’s numerous remarks stating “A terrorist cannot be a Muslim and a Muslim cannot be a terrorist”, Poyraz accuses Gulen for praising the terrorist groups by which Gulen has been threatened because of his condemnations of them.

Gulen is defamed in many places in the book in order to avert respect for Gulen. Poyraz includes the remarks of Nurettin Veren, who claims to be Gulen’s friend for 35 years and sentenced to 4 years imprisonment on charges of slandering Gulen. Moreover, he relates Gulen’s date of birth with Ataturk’s (Founder of Turkish Republic) date of death and tries to create an image of Gulen being antagonistic to Ataturk. Poyraz makes a lot of offensive, humiliating and unfounded allegations about Gulen’s personality, thoughts, beliefs, his family and his professional life. Moreover, he makes false claims about Gulen for being “Armenian”, “CIA agent”, “Bahai” and “Mason”. For instance, Poyraz includes in his book, the remarks of Semih Tufan Gulaltay, another detainee of Ergenekon Trial, and claims that Gulen is not a Muslim, instead he is a Bahai. He is trying to create doubts about Gulen’s faith in public opinion.

Source: Zaman March 8, 2013.

Disclaimer: The original news is in Turkish. Slight deviations from the original meaning may have occurred due to the difficulties in translating phrases and idioms. HizmetNews volunteers translated the article.

 

 

Tags: | |


Related News

Mischief-makers and the Hizmet movement

Mischief-makers continue to work hard. Every objective conscience sees that the Hizmet movement now has to struggle for its rights and to defend itself against some unjust and fallacious accusations, such as that the Hizmet movement has created a parallel state, that it is an illegal organization and that it is even a junta.

Prime Minister Erdoğan in his second home

Apolitical faith-based movements, represented by the Sufi lodges and the Hizmet movement today, regard Iranian expansionism as a real and imminent threat that needs to be tackled.

Is the March 30 referendum in danger?

It has become very evident that some businessmen who benefitted illegally in major state tenders acquired independent media, a person very close to Erdoğan was appointed as the editor-in-chief and that this media organ became a mouthpiece of Erdoğan. Independent civil society groups such as the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD) and the Hizmet movement are constantly depicted as traitors and the puppets of international dark forces by Erdoğan.

Crackdown in Turkey passes the point of no return

Turkey’s alliances with the US and EU are fraying badly. Above all, Mr Erdogan is moulding the country in his own image, with only a uniform message allowed. As one liberal intellectual puts it: “In the past you got arrested for what you said, but now you can be arrested for what you don’t say.”

Yamanlar College student wins gold medal in int’l computer project competition

Mustafa Ege Şeker, a student of Yamanlar College in İzmir, has won a gold medal with a computer project he made for the 14th InfoMatrix International Computer Project Competition.

The real problem is not an AK Party-Gülen movement conflict

When the problem is not properly diagnosed, the treatment can’t be on the mark. Let us speak openly: while the problem may appear to be a struggle between children from the same neighborhood — the AK Party and the Gülen movement — the real problem is in fact one that concerns all of society: democracy and justice. And the only solution is to return to real democracy and the principles of the rule of law.

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

Perinçek: I have Erdoğan’s support in fighting Gülen movement

Jailed Zaman editor says we are journalists, not terrorists

Turkey’s Unethical Interference in American (Muslim) Civic Society is Dangerous

Turkey calls on parents to report Erdogan critics at German schools

Hizmet from the Heart

National Development Requires Peaceful Co-existence

Purge accelerates Islamist radicalization in Turkey

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News