Lawyer of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen Nurullah Albayrak has released a written statement on some slanderous allegations against the Hizmet Movement which is held responsible for wiretapping around 7,000 people.
In his statement, Albayrak said the allegations which appeared in some newspapers is totally baseless and targets Gülen in an unfair way and demands punishment for the individuals who were involved such accusations.
The way the AK Party has proposed new laws to increase government control over judges and prosecutors and how many investigations have slowed down have raised suspicions that the government might be trying to hide corruption. The censorship of Turkish media and the recent attempts to change laws about the Internet to easily increase censorship are raising concern.
Ruling AKP officials downplay tension with Gülen movement
The tension between the government and Gülen’s movement (also known as the “Community,” “Cemaat” in Turkish, or “Service,” “Hizmet” in English) has escalated after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced plans to abolish private examination prep schools, many of which were financed and run by Gülen’s followers. The tension has recently peaked, with Erdoğan describing the group’s objection to his government’s plans as “a smear campaign.”
Reasons to be worried about Turkey’s direction
For the first time in the 11-year reign of the AK Party, I was truly concerned when Erdoğan last week said that the decision to shut down private prep schools was finalized despite heavy resistance from a significant portion of society. A government that could consider interfering with “freedom of enterprise” is grim enough.
‘Turkey using political rather than legal pressure against US to get Gulen extradited’
President Erdogan needs a victory so he can prove to the public and supporters that Fethullah Gulen was behind the failed coup and therefore get him extradited, says Ibrahim Dogus, the founder of the Center for Turkey Studies in London.
Father Alexei on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement
Father Alexei Smith served as an elected member of the Council of Priests of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for six years, and currently is a member of the Spirituality Commission of the Archdiocese. He served as president of the Interreligious Council of Southern California for five years. In 2007, he awarded the prestigious Religious Leadership Award of the Valley Interfaith Council.
Gulen, Erdogan and democracy in Turkey
Previously, most observers had wrongly assumed that these groups were inherent allies because of their faith-based worldview. In sharp contrast to this misperception, these groups came from entirely different pasts and political orientation, although they share a common interest in free market economy and cherished upward socio-economic mobility.
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Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis
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Fethullah Gülen: “Disbelief may prevail, but tyranny will not” (Interview in Asharq Al-Awsat-II)
Preparations for Turkish Olympiads begin in Morocco
Abant Platform to discuss framework of new constitution
Probe launched into daily Taraf for attempting to cause chaos
Kurdistan Regional Gov’t: Gulen-inspired schools will not be closed
GYV slams slanderous accusations seeking to link Hizmet to terrorist PKK
Gülen fine after being briefly hospitalized for arrhythmia
