Thousands in anti-corruption protests; Erdoğan defiant


Date posted: December 23, 2013

 

REUTERS, ANKARA   

 
Thousands took to the streets of İstanbul on Sunday to protest against the government over a corruption scandal that has led to multiple arrests, including sons of two ministers and general manager of the state-run Halkbank.

Twenty-four people, including the sons of two ministers and the head of state-owned Halkbank, have been formally charged in connection with the corruption inquiry that Erdoğan has called a “dirty operation” to undermine his rule.

In response, Erdoğan has sacked or moved to different posts about 70 police officers, including the powerful head of İstanbul’s force, in a widening crackdown on the force that launched the investigation.

Erdoğan drew thousands of cheering supporters when he toured the north of the country on Sunday.

But in İstanbul, anti-government demonstrators flooded into Kadikoy Square, where a protest against government urbanisation plans had been scheduled to take place, before they were largely dispersed by police firing teargas and water cannon.

“Everywhere is (Erdoğan’s) AK Party, everywhere is corruption,” they chanted, a reference to the slogan of summer anti-government protests that centred on İstanbul’s Taksim Square, “Everywhere is Taksim, everywhere is resistance”.

As in the case of the summer protests, the fiercest since he came to power in 2002, Erdoğan has pointed to foreign hands in the crisis.

“They are setting wicked and dark traps in our country, using their local pawns to disrupt Turkey’s unity and integrity,” Erdoğan said in the Black Sea city of Giresun on Sunday.

The Economy Minister and Interior Minister, whose sons were among the 16 arrested on Saturday, echoed Erdoğan on Sunday, saying via Twitter and the media that the allegations were part of ‘big trap’.

“Drity hands”

Witnesses estimated the crowd in Kadikoy Square grew to as much as 10,000 at one point.

“This gang of thieves cannot be ruling this country. The government should resign and all the dirty hands must be tried,” said Pelin Demirci, 26, who carried a banner that read “AKP get your dirty hands off our pockets.”

The prime minister has said the crackdown on people behind the corruption investigation would continue.

“Those who cast slurs on my ministers to reach their dirty goals, you should know that this nation will spoil the game. We will break those hands if they are trying to set traps in this country,” Erdoğan said on Sunday.

Those who attended Sunday’s protest in İstanbul appeared more concerned with the issue of corruption than the Gulen-Erdoğan split.

“The people are not interested in the power struggle between Erdoğan and Hizmet. The most important thing is to catch the thieves and put them in front of justice,” said Kadir Çekiç, 26, an engineer who works in the auto industry.

“I believe neither of them are innocent anyway, but for AK Party’s electorate to wake up and see some of the realities, these operations are very helpful.”

Source: Today's Zaman , December 23, 2013


Related News

Fethullah Gulen’s poetry in songs calls for Peace

A new song album of Fethullah Gulen’s English-translated poems has been released. The album titled “Rise up-Colors of Peace,” featuring poems by Gulen composed into songs, has been released jointly by Nil Production and Universal Music after two years of recording. According to Kaynak Publishing press release, 12 poems out of 50 that were previously translated […]

Hizmet and current political debates in Turkey

The Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), whose honorary chairman is well-respected Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, released a statement on its website on Thursday explaining the stance of the Hizmet [service] movement (also know as Gulen movement) inspired by Gülen as a civilian one with no political ambitions. The association’s statement comes in response to […]

‘Parallel state’ and ‘theft of national will’

There is not a single piece of concrete evidence indicating that prosecutors and police officers had acted in contravention of laws and regulations in the investigation into the corruption claims that implicated some former Cabinet members and their sons. However, these public officials who performed their lawful duties in full compliance with the principles of transparency, accountability and equality — which are fundamental characteristics of the regimes that uphold the rule of law — were recklessly accused by the prime minister and his cronies of being the “parallel state.

Abant Platform takes on sustainable growth, separation of powers

The separation of powers has been systematically contravened by the government through recent laws eradicating the judiciary’s power and subordinating it to the Justice Ministry.

Kimse Yok Mu to stop beggary in Sakarya, Turkey

Kimse Yok Mu (KYM) has recently initiated a project, “a card of hope,” in the city of Sakarya, Turkey. The project aims to stop beggary in the city. Volunteers of KYM would distribute “a card of hope” to every beggar in the city, which would contain information and directions on how to receive aid from local Kimse Yok Mu branch.

Now it is time to answer

All Cemaat did was to oppose to the closing of test-preparation centers… The corruption investigation that erupted after, is billed to Cemaat by the PM himself.

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

Nigeria: Hizmet Movement not terrorists

Advisor’s claim has potential to accelerate AK Party’s downfall

Lawyers to Trump: Don’t pressure judges in Turkey extradition case

Reasons to be worried about Turkey’s direction

Oligarchic clique’s devious plans

Fethullah Gülen’s Message of Condolences in the Wake of the Western European Floods

Dutch police detain second Turkish man for threatening Erdoğan critics

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News