News
Amnesty International researcher criticizes witch-hunt in Turkey
Amnesty International’s Turkey researcher has leveled sharp criticism against Turkey over ongoing purges that have followed a failed coup attempt in July and said arrests and firings over alleged links to the Gülen movement have now turned into a wide-ranging witch-hunt. He said arrest and detentions, which are based on no evidence, are bound to inflict damage to the notions of rule of law and freedom of expression.
‘Don’t link Thai schools with terrorists’
Thailand’s foreign ministry has cautioned against any rush to link four Thailand-based schools to a terrorist organization just because they have a handful of foreign shareholders. “We have been in touch with the embassy to request legally recognised and reliable evidence. But we have not received any additional information to date,” Thai foreign ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee, said yesterday.
Turks See Purge as Witch Hunt of ‘Medieval’ Darkness
Candan Badem teaches history at a university in southern Turkey, is a socialist and does not believe in God. But he lost his job and was hauled in by the police and accused of being a loyalist to a shadowy Islamic cleric who lives in exile in Pennsylvania.
In Netherlans court orders parents to stop calling De Roos primary a terrorist school
Judges in Haarlem have banned four mothers from calling an Islamic primary school in Zaanstad a ‘terrorist’ school. People who press ahead with saying the school supports terrorism face a fine of €1,000 with a maximum of €10,000.
Turkish Cleric, Accused in Coup Plot, Calls Crackdown ‘Dark Pages’ in History
The Turkish Muslim cleric accused by Turkey of plotting a failed coup two months ago denounced the repression of his supporters, calling the crackdown “dark pages in world history.” The severity of the crackdown in Turkey has raised concerns in the United States and Europe that Mr. Erdogan has used the failed coup as a pretext to eradicate political rivals and groups he deems a threat to his power.
Fethullah Gulen Condemns Turkish Crackdown on His Supporters
Gulen has denied any involvement in the coup attempt. He said Thursday the crackdown on his supporters will be recorded as “dark pages in world history.” The crackdown has raised concerns among Turkey’s Western allies and human rights organizations, which have urged the government to show restraint.
Gulen suspect testifies before US Congress on recent coup attempt
An alleged member of the Fetullah Gulen organization was invited on Wednesday to speak to a congressional panel on Turkey, a stunning move that could exacerbate tensions between Ankara and Washington. Ahmet Sait Yayla was added to the original list of speakers to address the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats.
US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee: Charges against Gülen not credible
US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Dana Rohrabacher said during a hearing titled “Turkey after the July Coup Attempt” in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the Turkish government’s claims against a US-based Turkish scholar for masterminding the July 15 coup attempt lack substantial evidence and were not credible.
Success stories of Kenya’s Light Academies’ beaming alumni
The Turkish schools were recently steeped in controversy after the Turkish government linked to being part of activities of self-exiled clergy Fethullah Gulen whose global network is accused by the Ankara government for fomenting terrorism, and money laundering.
US Unlikely to ‘Speed Up’ Gulen’s Extradition to Turkey
Turkey has formally requested that the U.S. government extradite Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen from the state of Pennsylvania where he has lived in self-imposed exile for 17 years. Turkey is pushing for quick extradition, suggesting that U.S.-Turkish relations are at stake. But the burden of proof rests squarely on Ankara, and if it cannot sufficiently prove its accusations against Gulen, the extradition request will be refused.
Fil-Turkish gives out beef amid terror threats
Even with reports of terror threats in Davao City, a Filipino-Turkish educational group pursued their beef-sharing event on Monday, September 12, to celebrate peace and unity in the city. “This event crosses religions and cultures, it is for all to celebrate common understanding,” said ICAD Foundation representative Mustafa Gun.
Post-coup Turkey sliding into terror regime: Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk
Prominent Turkish novelist and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in literature, Orhan Pamuk, has criticized the government’s large-scale crackdown in the aftermath of the failed July 15 coup, warning that Turkey is heading toward “a regime of terror.” “In Turkey, we are dramatically putting behind bars all those who struggle for freedom of expression, and criticize the government even slightly,” Pamuk said on Sunday.
