Keyword: Democracy
Diverging points between AKP and Hizmet movement: Kurdish question
The fundamental difference Popp observed is that while the government has been trying to persuade the PKK to lay down its guns, the Gulen movement goes one step further and works to remove the social and cultural problems that caused the Kurdish problem.
Slanders against Hizmet Movement at highest level, which offends Anatolians
ANFED held a general meeting in Ankara, which brought together 22 associations. After the meeting, Bıyık made some explanations to the reporters on the agenda of the country. Anatolian people are out of sorts due to excessive intervention of the government to the law system, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) and law-enforcement officers.
Deputy says AK Party tainted by corruption as he resigns
Çetin criticized the emergence of a narrow clique within the party that has replaced the people who have worked diligently and honestly for the party since its establishment. “The AK Party has swiftly drifted away from its original identity and entered into the hegemony of a narrow oligarchic structure as a minister who resigned stated,” said Çetin, adding that the people are once again disappointed by a political party.
CSOs continue to condemn hate speech against Hizmet movement
More civil society organizations from various parts of Turkey held press conferences on Friday to slam hate speech used by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government against the Hizmet movement, saying that top government officials should refrain from using hateful rhetoric.
Deputy Bal says did not resign from AK Party on anyone’s orders
Responding to speculations put forward by circles close to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) that independent Kütahya deputy İdris Bal resigned from the party on an order from Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, Bal has said he did not resign from the party on anyone’s orders, stating that if they could prove this, he is also ready to resign from his post as deputy.
Gülen’s lawyer: Systemic, illegal wiretaps taking place in Turkey over last six months
After “lies” and “defamatory statements” about Gülen surfaced in the media once new recordings were leaked on the Internet, lawyer Nurullah Albayrak said in a written statement that Gülen’s phone calls had been illegally wiretapped.
Who staged a coup against whom on Dec. 17?
When its involvement in corruption and bribery became public, and that this seemed like the tip of an iceberg, the government thought that it must cover up the subsequent investigation, fearing that yet more investigations would be started — and so crushed the police force and the judiciary like a steamroller.
Another AK Party deputy, Muhammed Çetin, resigns in protest
Çetin reportedly asked AK Party deputies Volkan Bozkır and Ali Aşlık about their shoebox numbers. His joke prompted other deputies to tell the incident to the party administration, which outraged with the joke and referred Çetin to the disciplinary committee with request of expulsion.
What do people say about corruption, gov’t and Hizmet?
Do you find the corruption operation right? Yes: 60.5 percent. No: 26.5 percent. No answer: 13 percent. Do you believe in claims that some ministers were involved in corruption? Yes: 70.1 percent. No: 16.8 percent. No answer: 13.1 percent. Do you think the government is trying to cover up claims of corruption? Yes: 59.7 percent. No: 29.6 percent. No answer: 10.7 percent.
Erzurum people call Minister Ala to apologize Gülen for his remarks
Gülen is highly respected both in Turkey and in many countries around the world for educational activities he has pioneered, along with his efforts to promote intercultural and interfaith activities around the globe. He is in self-imposed exile in the US, though there is no legal hurdle that prevents him from returning to Turkey.
‘Well, you were saying Hizmet is a religious movement?’
The Hizmet movement is considered a civil society organization, an indispensable element in democratic societies. In democracies, elections truly matter. The will of voters is indisputably important. However, there is also another power, called public opinion. They influence the parties and administrations.
