Academics sign statement saying ‘rule of law suspended’
Date posted: February 6, 2014
ANKARA
Academics signed a statement declaring that rule of law in Turkey has been suspended since a corruption scandal implicating various businessmen and government officials erupted on Dec. 17.
Professor Ayhan Aktar, Professor Ersin Kalaycıoğlu and Professor Yasemin İnceoğlu, as well as 147 other academics, signed a statement saying that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government cannot ignore corruption allegations by making up claims of a “parallel state” — which has no meaning in political science or law — and placing all responsibility of unlawful acts on the Hizmet movement, which was inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.
A signatory, Professor Gencay Gürsoy, read the statement on behalf of the academics on Thursday.
The statement stressed that the reassignments of thousands of public servants and the worrisome attempts to curb the separation of powers through the judiciary have damaged Turkey’s respect for the principles of law and security and that they have broken the ties between law and legitimacy.
Where will Turkey go from here? I spend many sleepless nights, feeling just as I did when I first read George Orwell’s “1984.” Just like Orwell’s dystopian society – a society with oppressive controls – the current Turkish state and the government are, it seems, out to silence all people capable of producing new and independent thinking and research in Turkey. As most of such minds are concentrated in Turkish academia, they will all be destroyed unless they turn into obedient and pious consumers.
With Husband Already In Jail, Woman Along With Two Children Detained In Post-Coup Witch Hunt
Nearly seven months after former public worker B.K. was arrested, his wife and two children were also detained as part of a government witch hunt against the Gülen movement. She is also diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Politics and communities
The state can no longer control the estate in its entirety. As a matter of fact, society and politics cannot be perceived as an “estate.” Thus, civil forces and communities want to be influential over decision-making mechanisms related to political processes and public polices, not over the state.
Gülen, Erdoğan’s new agenda item with the West
Yet, no matter how strong of views he might voice to his interlocutors about the Gülen movement (Cemaat) he can’t save himself from the problem of credibility. While he was giving assurance in Brussels that he is not interfering with the judiciary, the fact that the very same day the pressure exerted by the undersecretary of the Justice Ministry to the chief prosecutor in his investigation on a corruption case was revealed through documents will lead the EU to approach these assurances with suspicion.
Qatar deports 45 Turkish nationals over Gülen links
Pro-government Sabah daily newspaper claimed on Saturday that 45 Turkish nationals were deported from Qatar for having links to the Gulen movement. The daily said two of those 45 people — academic Zekeriya Özşevik and his wife Derya Özşevik — were detained upon their arrival to Istanbul, giving no detail about the whereabouts of the others.
Exit strategy for the AKP
Hizmet’s Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) reiterated last month, the AKP must, as soon as possible, start working towards EU reforms, the establishment of a fully democratic Turkey, the establishment of the rule of law, the most advanced fundamental rights and freedoms, equality of all before the law, a civilian constitution and a transparent state that can be held accountable.
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 will hurt own interests if gov’t shuts down Kimse Yok Mu
Yamanlar Koleji crowns Turkey with second gold medal
Turkish newspaper ‘Zaman’ shuts down in Germany amid ‘threats’
Turkish woman returned to prison immediately after giving birth
Prosecutors conducting ‘terror’ probe of prominent Turkish charity
Erdogan set up Maarif Foundation to seize Hizmet-inspired Turkish Schools
