HIzmet centre takes on Erdogan regime


Date posted: August 28, 2017

Beata Stur

The London-based Centre for Hizmet Studies has accused Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his regime of systematically trying to provoke the followers of the Hizmet Movement into violence and portray the movement as a violent organisation.

The centre said Erdogan is struggling to portray the Hizmet movement – inspired by the US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen – as an international security threat.

On its website, it said Gulen talked about a rumour of a plot, that some important public figures will be assassinated in Turkey, and the blame will be put on the members of the Hizmet movement. Gulen’s message, aired on August 13, however, was allegedly distorted by pro-Erdogan and anti-Gulen media circles as “an order of assassination to his followers”. On August 15, online access to the video was blocked by the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office. On August 18, it was reported that two people were arrested in Balikesir in preparation for the assassination of prominent figures, which turned out to be a case of fraud.

Gulen published a message condemning these new defamation efforts by Erdogan regime.

The Centre for Hizmet Studies wrote: “Although this plot has not materialised yet, that would not be the first time that the pro-Erdogan and anti-Gulen media circles (comprising mostly of Turkish media) pinned the blame on Gulen and his sympathisers without any evidence. In 2015, it was falsely reported that Gulen ordered the assassination of President Erdogan’s daughter Sumeyye. The news made to the headlines in the pro-Erdogan media outlets. The only evidence for the assassination was a twitter conversation between three people, including a journalist and two opposition MPs, which was later revealed to be fake.”

Dr Ismail Sezgin, Executive Director of the Centre for Hizmet Studies said: “Hizmet’s core principles and teachings are against use of violence. According to Gulen, peace and peaceful resistance is the default position.”

 

Source: New Europe , August 28, 2017

Tags: | | |


Related News

Countering Al Qaeda’s Message

Important literature from mainstream Muslim scholars in Pakistan (Muhammad Tahir-ul Qadri), Turkey (Fethullah Gulen), and elsewhere, which claim terrorists are not real Muslims, has yet to be translated, disseminated, or publicized more broadly in the Arab world, Somalia, Mali, or indeed Kenya. Al Qaeda’s extremists are all too ready to lampoon the majority of the world’s Muslims as infidels.

Are ambassadors propaganda officials for the ruling party?

Those who order ambassadors to put their citizens abroad in a difficult position in violation of human rights and national interests do not understand this: The international community is more concerned about whether the government sticks to democratic principles and the rule of law and less about who triggered the recent political crisis.

Erdoğan media’s accusations against Gülen and Hizmet

Amost all of the same lies [against Gülen] are now repeated almost verbatim by the TV channels and newspapers under the control of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Pro-gov’t dailies call Japanese foundation ‘parallel’ to denigrate award for Gülen

Several pro-government dailies have run stories with far-fetched allegations that a prestigious peace award was presented to Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen thanks to the sponsorship of a “parallel” — a defamatory term invented by the ruling party to describe Gülen and his sympathizers — foundation, even though the organization was founded in Japan.

Why Mr. Gülen was targeted

The main difference between Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen and the politician who became Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is that the former is vehemently opposed to the use and abuse of Islam as a political ideology and party philosophy while the latter sees the religion as an instrument to channel votes and to consolidate his ranks among supporters.

Crackdown in Turkey passes the point of no return

Turkey’s alliances with the US and EU are fraying badly. Above all, Mr Erdogan is moulding the country in his own image, with only a uniform message allowed. As one liberal intellectual puts it: “In the past you got arrested for what you said, but now you can be arrested for what you don’t say.”

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

Prosecutor’s office launches investigation into Şahin’s claim

Turkish Gov’t Seizes 965 Gülen Movement Affiliated Firms With $11.3 Billion Worth

US says it does not consider Gülen movement a terror organization

Cleric Accused Of Plotting Turkish Coup Attempt: ‘I Have Stood Against All Coups’

UN and OSCE experts deplore crackdown on journalists and media outlets in Turkey

‘I like the vitality of the participation and the vitality of hospitality within the Hizmet Movement’

[Erdogan’s] Turken Foundation: A Wolf in the Neighborhood [in the US]

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News