10-year-old girl dies in traffic accident while on way to visit to imprisoned father
Date posted: June 29, 2017
10-year-old girl of an imprisoned man named Ali Osman Özcan died in a traffic accident while on her way to visit the father in an Elazig prison on Monday.
Betül Seda Özcan, 10, hit the road along with her mother from Kocaeli province to visit her father in a closed prison in Elazig during Eid-Al-Fitr holiday.
When they reached the intersection near the prison in Elazig, Betul Seda let her mother’s hand go in excitement to see her father. She was struck by a car trying to cross the road.
Betul Seda was taken in an ambulance to Firat University Hospital where she later died.
According to media, the father Ali Osman has been, for 6 months, under arrest over his links to the Gulen movement, which the government accuses of masterminding the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. The latter denies involvement in the failed coup.
Hizmet is composed of volunteers who are heterogeneous in terms of religiosity, ideology, lifestyle, occupation, degree of involvement in Hizmet activities and so on. Since Hizmet is not a hierarchical organization, it does not have a headquarters. As a result, it is difficult to talk about Hizmet’s mistakes. One can talk about the mistakes of some Hizmet volunteers or institutions that are affiliated with Hizmet.
[Part 5] Gülen says ballot box is not everything in a democracy
Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who has inspired the popular civic and social movement called Hizmet, said the ballot box is not everything, urging his followers to not stick to only one but to cast their votes freely based on their personal conviction. He added that focusing on the ballot box only makes some people comfortable in telling lies.
Pro-Erdoğan journalist: Gülen followers should be kept in detention camps, given food tickets
Cemil Barlas, a staunch supporter of Tayyip Erdoğan and commentator for the pro-government A Haber TV, said during a program that followers of the Gülen movement, which the government accuses of being behind a failed coup on July 15, must be kept in detention camps and should be given food tickets.
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.
Turkey’s Gulen crackdown hits Canada
Efforts in Canada by Turkish authorities and supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have made life miserable for Gulen followers here, many say. They have been made unwelcome in mosques and restaurants frequented by Turkish-Canadians, and they have been cursed and protested against by fellow citizens.
Truth and reconciliation in post-Erdoğan era
One way to repair the damage dealt by the Erdoğan government in the last couple of years and to provide some form of closure for the dark period of Erdoğan’s third term in government is to set up a truth and reconciliation commission. Without discounting the role of the criminal justice system, a truth commission can be utilized in a complementary role to help citizens move on with their lives in Turkey after colossal wrongdoings in the government.
Latest News
Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away
Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice
Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say
Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?
Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case
A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook
Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?
Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis
In Case You Missed It
Number of Kimse Yok Mu volunteers triple
Texas enjoys International Festival of Language and Culture
Whistleblower says gov’t preparing to close down Gülen-inspired schools
When nations spy on their nationals on foreign soil
Afghan Parents Complain to UN Over Detention of Turkish Teachers
Erdogan critic calls jailing of his mother and brother ‘perverse’ and ‘politically motivated’
