New York, December 19, 2014 – With its latest action, Erdogan government has abandoned all sensibilities and crossed important ethical and moral boundaries. While not unexpected, it is deeply disappointing to see the government openly abuse its power in order to ensure that it maintains absolute control over its citizens.
Instead of recognizing Mr. Gulen for his decades of selfless service in peacefully promoting democracy, education and dialogue, Erdogan government is using false charges to oppress and harass its own people.
This action — taken just days after the arrests of many senior journalists, and exactly one year after corruption probes against government officials began — is nothing more than an attempt to shift public attention away from issues such as corruption, palace scandal, nepotism and efforts to limit press freedoms.
The issuance of an arrest warrant, after months of hate speech and threats against Mr. Gulen and manipulation of legal system is a clear indication of political persecution. Such tactics are the hallmark of an autocratic regime.
Erdogan government already uses its position to intimidate and threaten its critics. It has now demonstrated it will use any possible means to silence critical voices in Turkish society. Unfortunately, such actions will only achieve one thing: They will continue to polarize Turkish society and damage Turkey’s reputation among nations of the world.
For the sake of all Turkish citizens, we urge democratic leaders, countries and organizations around the world to strongly condemn Erdogan government’s actions.
About Alliance for Shared Values
Alliance for Shared Values is a non–‐profit that serves as a voice for dialogue organizations affiliated with the Hizmet in the U.S. (also known as Gulen movement). The Alliance serves as a central source of information on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet. For more information, please visit www.afsv.org