Since its inception fifty years ago, Hizmet people has been consistently peaceful even at times of political persecution such as the1980 coup and 28 February (1997) military memorandum. Despite all efforts of persecution, imprisonment, abductions, ill-treatment, and tortures, the movement has maintained its peaceful resistance and has not resorted to any violent response.
Germany has rejected a formal request from Turkey to freeze assets of members of the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. The German government officially rejected the request at the end of June, telling Ankara there were no legal grounds for Germany’s financial watchdog BaFin to crack down on the Gulen movement and its supporters.
On this ‘International day of the victims of enforced disappearances’ (August 30), let’s raise our voices for the missing people of Turkey. In the aftermath of the coup attempt last year, at least thirteen people have been abducted allegedly by elements linked to the Turkish government as part of an intimidation campaign targeting critics and opponents of Turkey’s president.
M.S. was rounded up while he was withdrawing the money allegedly transferred from Canada-based Gulen followers to his account, at a bank branch in Izmir’s Bergama district. According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, the funds were raised to support post-coup prisoners and those under investigation as well as the people dismissed as part of the government crackdown and their families.
Turkish police are waiting at Adana Avrupa Hospital to detain Elif Açıkgöz, who just gave birth by cesarean section, over alleged links to the Gülen movement, Samanyolu haber reported on Monday. After they were told that Açıkgöz could not be discharged from the hospital, police started a vigil in front of her room.
I also condemn President Erdogan’s reckless and immoral efforts to defame this peaceful movement that has dedicated itself to universal humanitarian values. I trust in the wisdom and fairness of world leaders to recognize this defamation campaign for what it is.
Two children of former police chief Anadolu Atayun, who has already been under arrest for some 3 years, was detained. Chief Atayun was jailed after conducting corruption operations in late 2008 and 2013 implicating then-Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his inner circle.
Addressing students being sent abroad on scholarships, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son-in-law and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak has said he would strangle supporters of the Gülen movement wherever he sees them, the Cumhuriyet daily reported on Friday.
In a video shared Sunday night on the Herkul.org website, where his speeches are aired, Gülen said after a graft probe in 2013 and the July 15 coup attempt, government circles are now planning to pin the blame on him and his movement, also known as Hizmet, for the planned assassination of several famous figures in Turkey.