Gülen-linked journalist association warns that movement’s support for gov’t can end


Date posted: January 14, 2014

ISTANBUL

A journalist association affiliated with the movement of the Islamic Scholar Fethullah Gülen has warned the government that the movement could withdraw its support, slamming Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s harsh words against the “community.”

“The slightest insecurity could cut all the assistance made to you and leave you alone in your [journey],” Mustafa Yeşil, chairman of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) said during a press conference yesterday while rejecting claims that a “parallel state” controlled by Gülen’s movement, also called Hizmet (Service), orchestrated the graft probe.

“If Hizmet had been judged and the claims about it being a gang responsible of dark and dirty business had been proved, it would not have become an institution that voluntarily lobbied for Turkey in 160 countries,” he said, condemning the “polarizing” language used by members of the government, and particularly Erdoğan.

Erdoğan and his supporters have cast the corruption probe as a smear campaign devised by Gülen, who exercises broad, if covert, influence in the media and judiciary through his followers. In response, the government has staged an unprecedented purge of the police forces and has moved to increase its control over the judiciary. Yeşil said that all these allegations were unfounded.

He also urged the government to refrain from making moves that could endanger the rule of law. “You have to overcome lawlessness through the rule of law,” Yeşil said.

Source: Hurriyet Daily , January 14, 2014

Tags: | | | |


Related News

After The Coup Attempt, A Crackdown In Turkey

Once considered a beacon of hope for the Middle East, Turkey has been rapidly backsliding on issues of democracy, freedom of the press, and human rights. One would have thought this downfall hit bottom on July 15, when a bloody coup was attempted, leaving behind more than 250 dead.

Already feeling unsafe in Turkey

Erdogan’s honor overrode freedom of speech in Turkey and Mahir got deported because of a simple allegation — that he’d posted critical tweets that targeted Turkey. No, no — I mean Erdoğan’s Turkey.

Erdoğan calls on US to extradite Gülen in return for jailed US pastor in Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called on the US to extradite Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen in return for releasing American pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been jailed in Turkey since October 2016.

Code ‘111′ profiling of ‘Hizmet’ on Parliament’s agenda

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Sezgin Tanrıkulu has brought to Parliament’s agenda a code allegedly used by the Ministry of Family and Social Policy to classify individuals believed to be affiliated with a social movement. Code “111” was allegedly used to classify people who are believed to be affiliated with the Hizmet movement, which is inspired by the teachings of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Turkey, ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ and ‘Titanic’

Questions to challenge the primary and unjustified premise: What judicial (or other) process determined that these corruption investigations were a coup attempt against the government? What proof or evidence do you have to support this most serious claim? What disciplinary process did you undertake to determine that the people that were purged were members and culprits of this ‘coup’? In the absence of evidence and disciplinary process how did you determine these people’s association with Hizmet? When is government corruption not a judicial coup? How can you have the right to unilaterally determine the intent and purpose of these ongoing judicial investigations when your government is implicated in them? If your government can purge over 7,000 police officers (and thereby affect and prevent these investigations) without evidence, due process or disciplinary procedure, do you not set a precedent for every future potentially corrupt government to follow?

Turkey’s ‘black box’ must be opened

The recent debate on tutoring centers and private prep schools and the shocking revelations on the dirty warfare used in the 1990s against the Kurdish population are certainly parts of this pressure-cooker-like mood. It is obvious that “Erdoğan’s Way” of running the country is based on keeping tension just under control, so that it will serve his own ambitions to cement personal power.

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

Take protests seriously, work to solve problems, Fethullah Gülen urges

Fethullah Gülen grieving for Islamic world amid Eid al Fitr holiday

Erdogan is transforming Turkey into a totalitarian prison

The Gülen Movement and Turkish Soft Power*

California Muslim Leaders Raised Their Voices, Condemning Extremism

University of Florida and the failed coup in Turkey

Çağ Education Company in Azerbaijan held a conference to celebrate the 20th anniversary

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News