Keyword: Freedoms
Hizmet unmasks ‘undemocratic’ Erdogan
What appears to be going on in Turkey now is a struggle between the Hizmet movement and Erdogan. However, when you scratch the surface, it is easy to detect the increasing authoritarian and arbitrary rule under Erdogan’s government. All Gulen is doing is asking for a more democratic Turkey.
SP’s Kamalak says MGK, not Hizmet movement, should discuss Kurdish issue
Felicity Party (SP) leader Mustafa Kamalak, commenting on a proclamation made by the National Security Council (MGK) on Wednesday, has said that instead of labeling the Hizmet movement as a “threat to national security,” the MGK should consider the government’s Kurdish policy which is leading to a “division of the country.”
THY’s Topçu defends embargo on papers, defamation campaign
Turkish Airlines (THY) Chairman Hamdi Topçu has confirmed an embargo on the distribution of dailies Bugün, Taraf, Zaman and Today’s Zaman on THY flights and has admitted having withdrawn a huge amount of cash from Bank Asya in an alleged attempt to force the bank out of business.
Erdoğan gov’t threatened to ‘wipe TUSKON off market map,’ says chairman
One of Turkey’s most influential business confederations, the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON), was threatened with being “wiped off the market” by the government after TUSKON made critical statements about government policies, chairman Rızanur Meral told the media on Friday.
Candidates on ‘red list’ denied jobs despite high test scores, Taraf reports
It was discovered that a lot of people who ranked in the top 100 were negatively labeled [put on the red list] because they are Alevis [some consider Alevism an unorthodox sect of Islam], Kurds or members of Hizmet,” the Taraf daily said.
Anti-democratic practices after graft probe reminiscent of Feb. 28 era
A number of anti-democratic moves that began after the launch of the corruption probe, including the reassignment of thousands of civil servants, including police officers and members of the judiciary, as well as discrimination against members of the faith-based Hizmet movement, are similar to the events of the Feb. 28 period.
Countdown for operation against Hizmet Movement
Even though the government has already removed from duty thousands of people, including police officers and members of the judiciary, it would have difficulties persuading “civil servants” to launch an operation against the community [Hizmet movement].
Turkish finance minister declines to comment on ‘color lists’
Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek on Tuesday declined to comment on a question about claims that the government recruits public sector employees using “color lists” to avoid people affiliated with groups such as the Hizmet movement and critics of the government.
Tunisia was able to make constitution because of concessions of all parties
The Hizmet movement “revives civil society in a modern state,” he says, as he emphasizes that the movement also adheres to the values of the Muslim world. “Having Hizmet is very important for the Turkish state. It will help the state to renew its values,” the Tunisian politician comments.
How does the Hizmet movement fare with democracy?
Ruling elites of this country, unfortunately, have targeted different groups at different times. Thus, religious people, Kurds, Alevis, nationalists (ülkücüs), leftists, non-Muslim minorities and democratic intellectuals have been in the bull’s eye for attacks from these elites. The Hizmet movement has always been a member of this list of plagued groups.
