Turkey introduces new decree law to seize all Gulen-related companies
Date posted: August 25, 2016
Thanks to a new decree law released as part of the state of emergency declared late on July 20 following a failed coup, Turkey’s government is now set to seize all the Turkish companies owned by businessmen somehow linked to the US-based Islamic Scholar Fethullah Gülen.
AK Party government has already been appointing trustees to private entities in Turkey, as part of its battle against Gulen Movement since a corruption scandal led to the resignation of four Cabinet ministers in December 2013. A total of 2,000 trustees were appointed to hundreds of private entities in Turkey since the beginning of 2016.
According to Haber Türk daily, takeover of Turkish companies linked to Gulen movement through appointment of trustees became a thing of the past, as Turkish government now “legally” authorized by a new decree law to nationalize/privatize any entities affiliated with the movement.
The Gülen movement is a grassroots social initiative inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. Erdoğan refers to the movement as “Fethullahist Terrorist Organization.”
European Parliament calls for fair trial of suspects arrested in anti-coup operations in Turkey
Members of the European Parliament (EP) discussed developments following the July 15 failed coup attempt in Turkey at a session on Tuesday and stressed the need for the fair trial of suspects who have been arrested on coup charges.
Cyber attacks on news websites threaten freedom of press, expression
Starting mid-February, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has been severely penalizing a number of news TV channels known for their anti-government broadcasts. Those channels, which include Samanyolu Haber TV and Bugün TV, were mostly penalized on the grounds that their programs were biased. The channels have been broadcasting reports about claims of corruption and bribery that have implicated some government members.
Persecution of the Gülen Movement in Turkey
The Gülen (a.k.a Hizmet) movement, a faith-based community, has been subject to political persecution for more than two years by the Turkish government since they stood up against corruption and injustice under the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan has publicly called for a “witch hunt,” and arrests, threats, and harassments have now become a routine for participants and sympathizers of the movement.
The story of the boy who cried wolf
The Sabah newspaper greeted the news of the 10-hour National Security Council (MGK) meeting with the headline “Parallel structure added to red book.” But this was, of course, a complete lie. For a long time now, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been indicating that the Hizmet movement — which he refers to as the “parallel structure” — would be officially added to the National Security Strategy Concept Paper as a “domestic threat.” This is a part of his personal vendetta and Erdoğan has kept up this propaganda war even as president of Turkey.
Why Turkey wants to silence its academics
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.
12-year-old denied departure from Turkey for treatment in Cuba dies of cancer
A 12-year-old child has died of brain cancer several months after Turkish border agents seized his and his parents’ passports at İstanbul Atatürk Airport, causing the family to abandon their plans to receive cancer treatment in Cuba.
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
With happy life left behind, hardship awaits us as exiled family
Parents Of Afghan-Turk Students To Lodge Complaint Against National Directorate of Security
Conceptual contradictions when it comes to rhetoric about ‘parallel state’
Hagi serves baklava to ‘Colors of the World’ in Romania
Turkish gov’t pays cash rewards for arrest or death of Gülen supporters
The Peace Islands Institute’s 5th Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Award
