News
Government files complaint against daily for exposing plot against Gülen
The Prime Ministry, the National Security Council (MGK) and the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) have filed a criminal complaint against the Turkish daily which has revealed that Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government signed on to a planned crackdown on the Hizmet (Gülen) movement. The Prime Ministry, the National Security Council (MGK) […]
AK Party gov’t spokesman confirms National Intelligence Organization profiling of faith-based movements
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government spokesman confirmed that the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) profiled some movements and groups, but rejected allegations that the government had taken action against those groups upon MİT profiling. AK Party government spokesperson Hüseyin Çelik raised the issue of government profiling of a large number of individuals who […]
Closing down prep schools and calling it ‘transformation’
BÜŞRA ERDAL, İSTANBUL Describing the government’s plan to close down the prep schools as a “transformation” is nothing more than saying, “I’m not going to say ‘close down prep schools,’ but I’m going to close them down.” The draft law in question will affect millions of students and their parents, but the debate on prep […]
Prep school transformation plan violates Constitution, experts say
DERVİŞ GENÇ, İSTANBUL A government plan to shut down Turkey’s prep schools — or “transform” them, as the government argues — violates the Turkish Constitution and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), according to experts. “Parliament can neither close the prep schools with a law nor force them to transform. […]
Main opposition CHP’s visit to Gülen organization a ‘unifying action’
The main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) recent visit to the Turkic American Alliance (TAA), one of Fethullah Gülen’s U.S.-based organizations, was an “inclusive, unifying action,” CHP deputy chair Faruk Loğoğlu has said. “There is no doubt that some circles will be annoyed by the breakfast we had [with TAA officials]. But we did not […]
Deputy PM threatens Taraf daily, Baransu for covering controversial MGK docs
Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç on Monday called on prosecutors to take legal action against the Taraf daily and journalist Mehmet Baransu, who last week revealed a controversial National Security Council (MGK) document indicating that Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) signed on to a planned crackdown on the Hizmet (Gülen) movement in 2004.
Turkish President calls for calm as gov’t defuses tension with Gülen movement
In a bid to de-escalate a heated debate between the government and Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen’s movement surrounding the future of private prep-schools, known as “dershanes,” President Abdullah Gül has called for attention to be focused instead on “more essential issues.” “Development in scientific fields is permanent. The others are daily discussions, today there are […]
Behind the secret documents – Turkish government profiled a large number of individuals
A story which was published by Taraf daily on Monday has shaken the country. According to the story, the Turkish government profiled a large number of individuals whom it believed to be followers of certain religious and faith-based groups and monitored their activities up until 2013.
Gov’t profiling of individuals found unacceptable, unlawful
FATMA DİŞLİ ZIBAK, İSTANBUL Human rights advocates and legal experts have voiced their uneasiness about claims suggesting that the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) has profiled individuals whom it believes to be followers of certain religious and faith-based groups, describing the practice as being illegitimate and a violation of human rights. According to […]
Governor asks Turkish organisation to focus on Balochistan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): The Governor of Balochistan Muhammad Khan Achakzai has asked a Turkish organisation to pay special attention to promotion of education in the province of Balochistan. Provision of quality education in the far-flung areas of the underdeveloped province will help people come out of poverty in short span which will settle many […]
Terrorist organization seeks to fill void in Southeast after closure of prep schools
Terrorist organizations are getting ready to fill the void in the education system in Turkey’s Kurdish-dominated Southeast following the government’s decision to shut down prep schools and study centers, the Bugün daily said on Monday. “The [terrorist Kurdistan Workers Party] PKK is increasing the number of Education Support Houses [EDEV] in the eastern and southeastern […]
Academic Freedom in Turkey Under Seige
It appears that Fethullah Gülen, a U.S.-based Islamic preacher from Turkey who promotes peace and tolerance, and the schools associated with his religious Hizmet movement can’t get a break. Now, Gülen’s schools are being targeted in his home country by the Turkish government’s ruling Justice and Development Party, known as the AKP, which should dispel any notion in the U.S. that the AKP is somehow in cahoots with the Gülen movement.
Turkish Deputy PM rules out ‘ill will’ against Gülen community, unveils prep school draft details
Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has announced September 2015 as the deadline for the “transformation” of private examination prep schools (dershanes) into private schools, while denying that the move represents hostility toward the “Hizmet” (Service) movement of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. Speaking after a 7.5-hour-long Cabinet meeting on Dec. 2, Arınç also announced January 2014 […]
