GYV says Gülen did not send letter to Erdoğan

The Journalists and Writers Foundation
The Journalists and Writers Foundation


Date posted: January 5, 2014

ANKARA
The Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), whose honorary chairman is Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, dismissed reports that Gülen has sent a letter to the prime minister.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told a group of journalists on Saturday that Gülen had sent him a “peace letter.” Then claims emerged that the letter included the scholar’s attempts to seek reconciliation with the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the prime minister over recent tension that broke out with the launch of a corruption investigation that targeted the government.

According to the GYV statement, the letter was neither a peace nor a reconciliation letter and it was not sent to the prime minister. “The letter in question was sent to another state official. It did not include any negotiation [with that official],” read the statement.

“We’re saddened that a series of incorrect comments were made over false information,” the foundation noted, regarding the letter. “It is possible that Mr. Prime Minister’s words were not fully understood and were wrongly evaluated.”

According to the GYV, the letter followed a meeting Gülen recently had with an individual dispatched by a “respected state dignitary” and the former reciprocated with a letter.

Osman Şimşek, editor of herkul.org, a website that typically publishes Gülen’s speeches, also posted a statement on the website on Sunday in which he said the letter does not contain an excuse or offer of negotiation. In his letter, as Şimşek stated, Gülen expressed his sadness to see that members of the Hizmet movement, inspired by Gülen himself, were being targeted due to ongoing developments in Turkey.

He revealed that the letter was given to a special envoy sent by President Abdullah Gül and was addressed to Gül.

“In those days [of the corruption debate], it was conveyed to us that President Abdullah Gül, having held meetings with various groups in the name of peace for the nation and to prevent debates from escalating further, wished to send an envoy to Gülen to transmit his thoughts as well as to learn Gülen’s considerations,” Şimşek explained.

Gülen also recalled that he had expressed his wish to some high-level state authorities on various occasions not to have prep schools, which he said are very beneficial to the country and its population, shut down by the government. He said prep schools should be allowed to carry on their existing missions.

The renowned scholar, in addition, denied claims that he has influenced state activities, including giving orders or directives to civil servants. He also expressed his sadness to see that some police officers who were involved in investigating the corruption allegations that targeted some government members and bureaucrats as well as businesspeople were removed from their posts on the grounds that they were followers of a certain group, namely the Hizmet movement.

Gülen also said he would continue to ask his friends and followers to act with common sense and work for peace in Turkey.

Source: Today's Zaman , January 5, 2014


Related News

Turkey’s New Anti-Americanism (NY Times Editorial)

The Turks need to be reminded that Mr. Gulen has a legal right to be in the United States, and that the Justice Department would have to go through a rigorous process before deciding whether he could be handed over, especially to a country where due process is increasingly unlikely and torture is reportedly used against detainees.

Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards given in Washington

The Rumi Forum, a nongovernmental organization established in the United States to improve interfaith and intercultural dialogue, gave its traditional Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards in a ceremony held in Washington on Wednesday. Farah Pandith, US Special Representative to Muslim Communities, Hannah Rosenthal, the US special envoy on anti-Semitism, and Martin O’Malley, the governor of […]

‘Hizmet conspiracy’ theories rejected at iftar hosted by Alevis

Participants of an iftar held by the Federation of Alevi-Bektaşi Associations under the theme “Solidarity in the light of the Quran” at the Renaissance Polat Hotel in İstanbul on Wednesday evening expressed their disbelief in the existence of any conspiracy prepared by the Hizmet movement.

Online Interfaith Dialogue Workshop

Respect Graduate School, Bethlemem, PA has launched an online “Interfaith Dialogue Workshop.” The workshops aims to provide basic principles of inter-faith work and empower students with foundational skills to serve in a religiously diverse social context.

Gülen’s lawyers slam Erdoğan’s ‘slanderous’ unsolved murders remarks

The lawyers of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen have denounced recent statements by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in which he held the Hizmet movement responsible for some unsolved murders in Turkey.

Real Islam can eliminate radical groups in Islamic world, say analysts

MESUT ÇEVİKALP, ANKARA Several terrorist attacks over the past weeks carried out by radical groups in different countries who claim to act with Islamic motivations are seriously damaging Islam’s image, and the best response to such groups is to show the entire world the real face of Islam, which carries the meaning of peace, analysts […]

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

Turkey ‘looking for scapegoats’ by linking schools in Nigeria to failed coup

Minister’s remarks on Gülen cause AK Party members to resign

Lack of tolerance and democracy

Purge-victim businessman dies of cancer days after being released from prison

Fethullah Gulen Criticizes the Da Vinci Code

Ex-AK Party delegate slams persecution of Hizmet movement

Islamic scholar Gülen offers condolences to ferry victims

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News