With the detention of the son of the environment and urban planning minister, we learned that such a ministry actually exists.
This is an unnecessary ministry in a country with the ugliest and untidiest towns and cities in the world. We learned that the war with Pennsylvania could turn into a war with Washington. While the government works to finish off the Hizmet movement, it may even call for the expulsion of the US ambassador from the country. The real duty of Halkbank is to act as Iran’s opening door to the world, and the US blockade has been violated for years. We learned that the pro-government media is allergic to shoe boxes [money used in alleged bribery was found in shoe boxes in one of the suspects’ homes]. We also learned that the wittiest jokes on social media are made in times such as these.
Former US envoys to Ankara say Erdoğan doing great harm to democracy
“Whatever his achievements over the past decade, Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is destroying his country’s parlous democracy. That is a profound problem for Turks and Turkey’s Western allies. Staying silent, out of fear that speaking out would harm some short-term interests, risks Turkey’s longer-term stability.”
Beating ‘domestic enemies’ in the game of ‘advanced’ democracy
The writers, intellectuals and the journalists close to the Hizmet movement have, from the very beginning, called on the government to take legal steps against those whom he constantly labels the “parallel state” so that they could also know who they are.
Turkey’s teachers, police officers join unskilled labor force after coup purge
Many public servants, including police officers and teachers, found themselves working at unskilled jobs in the labor market after being dismissed following decrees issued by the Turkish government in the aftermath of a coup attempt on July 15, 2016.
Turkey: Alarming Deterioration of Rights – Coup Attempt No Justification for Crackdown on Peaceful Critics
The government misused terrorism laws against followers of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, whom the government accuses of masterminding the July coup attempt, The mass arrests and removal of safeguards against detainee abuse led to rising reports of torture and other ill-treatment in custody.
At home and abroad, Erdogan shoots himself in the foot
On Wednesday, for instance, Erdoğan described members of the Hizmet movement, who are mostly inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, as an “opposing side” due to their opposition to the closure of prep schools. Erdoğan’s categorization sparked outrage, primarily because the movement has been known as staunch supporters of the government.
Gülen urges patience over prep schools row
Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen expressed unhappiness over government [in Turkey] plans to abolish educational institutions that assist high school students to prepare for the national university admission examination and urged people to be patient in the face of this move, which is interpreted as a blow to education in the country.
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Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?
Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case
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Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis
University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links
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