Prominent columnist Bağdat slams persecution of Hizmet

Daily columnist Hayko Bağdat
Daily columnist Hayko Bağdat


Date posted: December 9, 2014

Popular daily columnist Hayko Bağdat called for a halt of the witch hunt against Hizmet and expressed the need for tolerance for all social groups in Turkey.

“It is presumptuous for one to believe that they can destroy an entire section of society,” reflected Hayko Bağdat, speaking on the ongoing persecution against the Hizmet movement.

Ever since the December 17-25 probe featuring corruption charges implicating businessmen and government ministers, the government has blamed the Hizmet movement as a scapegoat, accusing it of orchestrating the probe.

Bağdat also criticized pro-government press outlets and touched upon the public threats against outspoken media. “To embark on a witch hunt by threatening a chief editor with jail time is a futile attempt.”

The columnist invoked freedom of the press reminding that certain journalists were starting to pen articles which practically serve as governing AK Party (Justice and Development Party) press releases.

A main theme Bağdat underlined is tolerance for different groups in society. “The Hizmet Movement will live on, as will the Armenians, the Alevis.”

Armenian Issue

Indeed the prominent columnist has dedicated his extensive career, most notably with daily Taraf, into voicing concerns of Turkey’s minority issues including Armenians.

To this end Bağdat welcomes positive developments taking place in Turkey over the Armenian issue. The subject inevitably dates back to World War I, when an estimated 1.5 million Armenian lives were lost in the Ottoman Empire, present-day Turkey.

“I welcome the Prime Minister’s statements of sending condolences and believe that we have also been influential for voicing the issue for years.”

He emphasized “The peace which will solve this issue once and for all, and cure the suffering of people will come from these lands.”
He vowed “The Hizmet Movement will live on, as will the Armenians, the Alevis.”

Unresolved killings affect us all

One particular hot topic that frequently resurfaces in Turkey is the unsolved deaths of prominent figures.

Grand Unity Party (BBP) founder Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu was killed in a helicopter crash in 2009. Bağdat is amongst those who believe that Yazıcıoğlu was assasinated.

A strong rival of the current government with equally strong appeal amongst conservatives and nationalists, the BBP party founder was viewed as a rising figure.

Bağdat expressed there would be no safety in Turkey until the how of Yazıcıoğlu’s death is brought to light “Just think of what a state that killed Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu would do to you or me.”

Source: BGNNews , December 9, 2014

Tags: | | |


Related News

Turkish purges leave armed forces weak, dismissed officer warns

NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe, General Curtis Scaparrotti, said in December that he never had any reason to suspect that Turkish officers in his teams would be involved in a coup attempt. In their absence, and without their expertise, the capacity of his staff had been “degraded,” he told the Financial Times and Deutsche Welle.

Erdogan Moves to Shut Prep Schools in Blow to Gulen Followers

The issue is important to Gulen’s followers, who teach about 400,000 of the 1.2 million prep school students. The schools offer additional training to students preparing for exams from elementary schools to universities.
Erdogan has so far removed thousands of police officers and prosecutors on suspected ties to Gulen’s movement, while pro-government media has targeted companies for alleged links to the cleric.

Gulen says he is certain Erdogan behind failed Turkey coup

Asked if he was suggesting that Erdogan was behind the coup, Gulen said: “Until now I only thought that was a possibility. Now I think it’s certain.” Gulen said a Turkish officer had recently said that the chief of general staff and the intelligence chief met in the army headquarters during the night of the coup, adding: “They already knew everything that would happen later.”

In Conversation with Fethullah Gülen (Interview in Asharq Al-Awsat-I)

While it is a movement inspired by faith, this [Hizmet movement] community of volunteers develops and delivers reasonable and universally acceptable projects which are in full compliance with humanitarian values and which aim to promote individual freedoms, human rights and peaceful coexistence for all people regardless of their faith.

Over 30 Turkish diplomats, families seek asylum in Germany

Nearly three dozen Turkish diplomats and family members have claimed asylum in Germany over alleged affiliation to the network of US-based opposition leader Fethullah Gulen, whom the government in Ankara claims to have masterminded the failed July 15 coup attempt.

Gülen-linked journalists organization voices concern over profiling claims

The Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), one of the most prominent institutions affiliated with Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, released a statement expressing its concerns over the government’s claimed profiling of citizens, civic groups and public employees. “It is worrisome to witness developments that echo the said “National Security Board decision, such as the plan to ban prep schools, the profiling of public employees or the purging of bureaucrats who are affiliated with certain communities,” the statement published on the institution’s website said.

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Turkey seizes another baklava maker over coup charges, appoints deputy governor as caretaker

Turkish gov’t detains more than 70 women over their alleged financial support for jailed Gülen followers

Ahmet Şık’s book and Ergenekon’s media campaign (3)

If whoever touched Gülen was doomed, we would have been ashes by now

Bank Asya weathers withdrawals, says CEO

Kurds, Turkey and growing with Öcalan’s help?

Alevis voice unease over lack of promised rights at Abant meeting

Copyright 2024 Hizmet News