Democracy Archives - Page 15 of 57

Keyword: Democracy

Police raid prominent journalists’ foundation GYV in Turkey

GYV’s members strongly protested the police measure. Underlining that the raid violated standard protocol, high-ranking GYV official Recep Usta expressed; “the protocol states that VGM technical teams can come to the building and conduct examinations; and should they find any violation, a period of a month is granted to us [to fix any issues].

Gov’t tries to frame Hizmet with secret statements from shady sources

The alleged government-plot against members of the faith-based Hizmet movement, disclosed in June by former Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin, was further instigated with questionable testimonies obtained from secret witnesses, informants and anonymous complainants leading to criminal prosecutions apparently orchestrated by political authorities.

Observers: Charging Zaman’s editor-in-chief based on 2 columns, 1 report is ‘unlawful nonsense’

Charging Zaman daily Editor-in-Chief Ekrem Dumanlı for a crime based on two columns and one report published in his paper is “unlawful nonsense,” according to intellectuals and politicians observing the government-backed media crackdown in which the editor was detained.

US law professor: Gülen extradition would be unlawful

Seval Yıldırım, a professor of law at Whittier Law School, said in a statement to Today’s Zaman on Wednesday that for the US to extradite Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen without a formal case against him would be an infringement of US law.

Gülen says arms, swords have no place in Hizmet’s philosophy

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has stressed that the idea of pursuing an armed struggle has never had a place in the philosophy of the Hizmet movement

CPJ report: Turkey world’s 10th most dangerous country for journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Wednesday released a special report for 2014 designating Turkey is the world’s 10 worst country for journalists, once again underlining the country’s deteriorating situation for freedom of expression and free media.

Detained Turkish Journalists Follow Teachings of US-based Preacher

Erdogan denies the corruption allegations and has described them as the work of a “parallel state.” After this week raids, he issued a veiled threat against Gulen’s supporters.

The witch-hunt reaches Turkey’s media

“If this is a witch-hunt, yes, we will carry out this witch-hunt,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a few months ago to confront criticism that his government has gone too far in removing police officers and prosecutors who carried out a corruption investigation against his ministers and son.

TUSKON: Media raids discourage foreign investors

Foreign investors will not come to a country where the media faces intense pressure, Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) President Rızanur Meral said, speaking in front of the Zaman daily offices in İstanbul on Tuesday.

White House concerned over arrest of Turkish journalists

White House has expressed concerns over the arrest of Turkish journalists, including Zaman daily editor-in-chief Ekrem Dumanlı, called on Ankara to conduct investigations in a manner consistent with the rule of law.

Gülen says talk of raid against Zaman aims to intimidate

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who lives in self-exile in Pennsylvania, said on Thursday that the rumors of a crackdown against Hizmet movement-affiliated media is a “perception operation and aims to intimidate and oppress people.”

World media covers possible anti-journalist ops; Turkish press silent

Some foreign news outlets have been covering a whistleblower’s claim that around 150 journalists will be detained as part of a new government-backed operation, but most Turkish media outlets have remained silent on the issue.

Prominent columnist Bağdat slams persecution of Hizmet

Popular daily columnist Hayko Bağdat called for a halt of the witch hunt against Hizmet and expressed the need for tolerance for all social groups in Turkey.

Kimse Yok Mu head: Council of State confirms charity’s transparency

According to İsmail Cingöz, president of the charity Kimse Yok Mu, the Council of State’s unanimous annulment of a recent Cabinet decision to rescind the charity’s right to collect donations confirms its institutional transparency, accountability and reliability.