Democracy Activists

"Democracy and human rights are currently suspended in Turkey. As a predominantly Muslim country, it appears to have missed a historic opportunity to achieve democracy at European Union standards."

"Instead of explaining why they could not convince world leaders about the accusations they made against me, the government deceives citizens with conspiracy theories through the media they have turned into propaganda tools. Unfortunately, the Turkish people, who cannot hear the different arguments about this terrible event, are mobilized en masse around hate messages. Until now, few people have realized how similar the scapegoating of Hizmet volunteers was to the scapegoating of certain groups by fascist and communist totalitarian regimes in the 20th century."

"A society's leaders are like cream on a liquid. The essence of liquid is the essence of cream. The cream of milk comes from milk, the cream of yogurt from yogurt, and the cream of alum from alum. The leaders of a society, while perhaps not always with 100% accuracy, reflect the beliefs and values ​​of that society as a whole. I hope and pray that the recent tragic events in Muslim-majority countries will lead to a collective awakening and lead to democratically minded leaders and governments that defend both free and fair elections and all fundamental human rights and freedoms."

"Democracy cannot be achieved or preserved by resorting to violence. Even if political leaders oppress their citizens by violating their basic human rights, their overthrow by anti-democratic means cannot be tolerated. Although they were subjected to oppression unprecedented in the history of Turkey in terms of the methods they used and the number of people they victimized, none of the Hizmet volunteers even raised a fist against the oppressors. Despite everything, they continue to strive through legal and peaceful means to get their rights. If, in the face of this situation, someone still doubts their commitment to the rule of law, tranquility and peace, this can only be explained by a fear arising from prejudice."

"Over the past year, I have been devastated that the government has linked tens of thousands of citizens to me or the Hizmet movement in some way, and then punished this attributed contact as if it were a crime. The accusations made against me regarding the coup attempt are unfounded and a politically motivated slander. The government's treatment of its innocent citizens for a year drags Turkey into the category of the world's most backward countries in terms of democracy, rule of law and fundamental freedoms. I reiterate my call, made immediately following July 15, for the establishment of an independent international commission of inquiry to fully examine the incident and bring the perpetrators of the coup to justice, and if such a commission finds me guilty, I stand behind my promise to return to the country of my own accord."

"First and foremost, the education curriculum must be overhauled. Topics such as equality of citizens before the law and fundamental human rights and freedoms should be introduced to young people as early as primary school so that they can become guardians of these values ​​as they grow up. Second, a new constitution is needed that protects the fundamental human rights enshrined in the United Nations Human Rights Convention and allows neither the minority nor the majority to tyrannize over others, but rather one that embraces freedom. Civil society and a free media should also be protected in the constitution as counterweights to government abuses of power. Third, opinion leaders must emphasize democratic values ​​through their rhetoric and actions."

"I learned with deep sorrow of the terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which resulted in the deaths of 49 people and the injuries of 20. I strongly condemn this heinous attack and pray that God Almighty has mercy on the innocent victims, grants patience to their families, and grants a speedy recovery to the injured."

"In Turkey, it has recently been observed that citizens have been very passive in conveying their democratic demands to their leaders. Concerns about economic stability may be cited as an underlying reason for this. However, if we look back from the current situation, we can see that there is also a historical reason for this."

"Next Saturday will be remembered as a sad day in Turkey's history, as it marks the anniversary of the heinous coup attempt in which hundreds of our citizens lost their lives and thousands were injured. On this day, I once again condemn this heinous attempt and its perpetrators, and send my condolences to those who lost their relatives and friends in this tragic incident."

"While democratic governance is an ideal of the Turkish Republic, no systematic effort has been made to instill democratic values ​​among the Turkish public. "Obedience to a strong leader," "obedience to the state," has always been a crucial element in the educational curriculum. Military coups, occurring almost every decade, have denied democracy the opportunity to develop and take root. Citizens have forgotten, or have been made to forget, that the state exists for the people, not the other way around. It's safe to say that President Erdoğan has capitalized on this social psychology."

"Unfortunately, after this disgusting incident, the lives of tens of thousands of innocent people in the country were ruined. By the instructions of the government, they were unlawfully fired from their jobs, detained, arrested and even tortured. The government continues to deprive its own citizens of their means of earning a living, their reputation in society, and their basic human rights in the witch hunt it has undertaken to eliminate anyone it deems disloyal to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his regime."

"I probably will not live to see Turkey become an exemplary democracy, but I pray that the downward authoritarian drift can be stopped before it is too late."

"My hope is that Turkish intellectuals will raise their voices and stand in solidarity with all the victims of oppression, and that people of law will not compromise on the principles of universal law by ignoring political pressures. May God Almighty take us out of this dark period as soon as possible and lead this blessed homeland to days of peace and safety."

"Turkey's democracy may be in a coma due to the current regime, but I remain hopeful. Oppression has never been long-lasting. I believe Turkey will one day return to the path of democracy. However, certain measures must be taken to ensure democracy takes root and endures."

"This heinous attack, which occurred during Friday prayers, a holy day considered a weekly holiday for Muslims, unfortunately added another to the string of terrorist attacks targeting mosques, churches, synagogues, and other places of worship around the world in recent months. The underlying psychology of prejudice, fear, and hatred, which manifests itself in various forms such as Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, anti-Christianity, xenophobia, and other forms, is a human problem. Regardless of the understanding or belief behind which it is perpetrated, terrorism is, in fact, brutality, and the solution lies in the collective efforts of humanity."

"The witch hunt targeted all forms of dissent, especially members of the Hizmet movement, a movement dedicated to peace and tolerance. Environmental protesters, journalists, academics, Kurds, Alevis, non-Muslims, and some devout Muslim groups critical of Erdoğan's actions also suffered from this policy. People's lives were devastated by unjust dismissals, arrests, imprisonment, torture, property theft, and numerous other atrocities."

"First, a new civilian constitution should be drafted through a democratic process involving the input of all segments of society and that is on par with international legal and humanitarian norms, and drawing lessons from the success of long-term democracies in the West."

"Fleeing ongoing persecution, thousands of Hizmet volunteers have sought refuge in various countries around the world, including France. Wherever they go, their role is to integrate into society and live lawfully, contribute to solving social problems, and actively fight against the spread of radical interpretations of Islam in Europe."

"Second, a school curriculum that emphasizes democratic and pluralistic values and encourages critical thinking must be developed. Every student must learn the importance of balancing state powers with individual rights, the separation of powers, judicial independence and press freedom, and the dangers of extreme nationalism, politicization of religion and veneration of the state or any leader."

"Two measures are critical to reversing the democratic regression in Turkey."

"By seizing control of the state, placing capitalists under tutelage, and rewarding his inner circle, President Erdoğan has led Turkey, once a promising democracy, down the wrong path. To manipulate public opinion to consolidate power, he has declared me and the Hizmet movement enemies of the state and blamed me for all the evils that have befallen the country in recent history. This is a typical example of scapegoating an individual or group."

"A campaign of judicial persecution continues in Turkey, based on criminalizing people for sympathizing with a person or group. The number of victims of this campaign is increasing daily. More than 150,000 citizens have been unjustly dismissed from their jobs, more than 200,000 arrested, and more than 80,000 imprisoned. Those targeted in this politically motivated persecution who attempt to leave the country are even denied this fundamental human right, recognized by the United Nations, because their passports have been revoked."

"This community cherishes every person, their differences are not a reason for fighting; It consists of people who have come together around high human values, such as considering everyone as an element of wealth, accepting everyone in their own position, and holding the hands of young people, especially through education. It consists of people who find it reasonable to serve these values ​​through educational institutions, hospitals, humanitarian aid organizations and dialogue projects, within a framework that we can call "Quranic reasonableness". It is an Islamic movement in a sense, as most of them are Muslims and takes their inspiration from religious sources, but it is also a humanitarian movement in the sense that it embraces all humanity and aims to serve. So far, people from different beliefs and nationalities in 160 countries of the world have embraced them and become patrons of these projects."

"Erdogan’s persecution of his people is not simply a domestic matter. The ongoing pursuit of civil society, journalists, academics and Kurds in Turkey is threatening the long-term stability of the country. The Turkish population already is strongly polarized on the AKP regime. A Turkey under a dictatorial regime, providing haven to violent radicals and pushing its Kurdish citizens into desperation, would be a nightmare for Middle East security."

"However, it is not right to associate members of various Islamic movements in different countries around the world, who sincerely serve the religion without engaging in any form of violence, with terrorism in a wholesale approach. Otherwise, injustice would be done to those who are against terrorism, and therefore some people would be pushed into the arms of radical movements through such an unfair and unlawful practice."

"The people of Turkey need the support of their European allies and the United States to restore their democracy. Turkey initiated true multiparty elections in 1950 to join NATO. As a requirement of its membership, NATO can and should demand that Turkey honor its commitment to the alliance’s democratic norms."

"It didn’t start this way. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came into power in 2002 by promising democratic reforms in pursuit of European Union membership. But as time went on, Erdogan became increasingly intolerant of dissent. He facilitated the transfer of many media outlets to his cronies through government regulatory agencies. In June of 2013, he crushed the Gezi Park protesters. In December of that year, when his cabinet members were implicated in a massive graft probe, he responded by subjugating the judiciary and the media. The “temporary” state of emergency declared after last July 15 is still in effect. According to Amnesty International, one-third of all imprisoned journalists in the world are in Turkish prisons."

"Before either of those things can happen, however, the Turkish government must stop the repression of its people and redress the rights of individuals who have been wronged by Erdogan without due process."

"Turkey's current government resembles more of an oligarchy than a democracy. How did it become this way?"

"Since its founding in 1923, the Republic of Turkey has been making slow, if unstable, progress toward democracy, despite being plagued by military coups. The current government's policies are eroding Turkey's international reputation and pushing it into the category of countries hostile to freedoms and notorious for imprisoning citizens who exercise their democratic right to criticism. Those in power appear to have exploited international diplomatic relations, mobilizing all diplomatic missions, the state's human capital, and financial resources to harass, monitor, and kidnap Hizmet movement volunteers worldwide."

"The most important pillar of any effort to address a solution is to remember and internalize our shared identity as humans. The cure for the disease of people driven by fear and hatred, who attack those they perceive as different, lies in establishing a global understanding of the value of all people through dialogue and education."

"As witnessed throughout history in Turkey and elsewhere, one method used by despotic leaders to maintain their dominance is to exploit differences within society and pit different groups against each other. Regardless of their religious beliefs or outlook on life, citizens must be able to unite around their universal rights and freedoms and to oppose those who violate these rights through democratic means."

"The West must help Turkey return to a democratic path. Tuesday’s meeting, and the NATO summit next week, should be used as an opportunity to advance this effort."

"Expressing oneself against oppression is a democratic right, a civic duty, and a religious obligation for believers. The Quran states that people should not remain silent in the face of injustice: “O you who have believed, be upholders of justice and bear witness to the truth for Allah, even against yourselves, your parents, and your relatives” (4:135). Exercising one's fundamental freedoms, especially the freedom to live and express oneself according to one's beliefs or outlook, provided that it does not harm others, constitutes a true human being. Freedom is a right bestowed upon humanity by God, and no one can take it away. A person deprived of their freedom is not living a truly human life. Contrary to the claims of political Islamists, Islam is not a form of government or an ideology related to governance; it is a religion. It may preach certain principles related to governance, but these principles constitute a very small percentage of the totality of its preached principles. Reducing Islam to a political ideology is a great crime against the spirit of Islam."

"Since July 15, following a deplorable coup attempt, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has systematically persecuted innocent people — arresting, detaining, firing and otherwise ruining the lives of more than 300,000 Turkish citizens, be they Armenians, Kurds, Alevis, secularists, leftists, journalists, academics or participants of Hizmet, the peaceful humanitarian movement with which I am associated."

"But the Turkey that I once knew as a hope-inspiring country on its way to consolidating its democracy and a moderate form of secularism has become the dominion of a president who is doing everything he can to amass power and subjugate dissent."

"The people of Anatolia are a heterogeneous society. Whether Sunni, Alevi, Turkish, Kurdish, or of another ethnicity, Muslim or non-Muslim, religious or secular, its citizens hold very different perspectives on life, philosophies, and beliefs. Trying to make everyone the same is both futile and disrespectful to humanity. Everyone's understanding, feelings, thoughts, philosophy of life, and worldview must be respected. Participatory democratic governance, where no group, whether majority or minority, exerts its power over others, is the most appropriate form of government for such a heterogeneous society. The same can be said for Syria, Iraq, and other neighboring countries."

"Those who study or comment on Islam's view of politics and government have made three errors. First, they have often confused the Islam revealed by the Book and Sunnah with the understanding of Islam that emerged from the historical experiences of Muslims. It is important to critically examine the historical experiences of Muslims and the rulings established within the context of those experiences, to draw on primary sources, and to offer new perspectives to Muslims worldwide on issues such as human rights, democracy, and social inclusion in Islam. The second mistake is to seek legitimacy for a predetermined understanding, sometimes relying on a Quranic interpretation or a few select hadiths, and to attempt to impose this understanding on others."

"In the early 2000s, Turkey was hailed as a Muslim-majority country making strides toward improving its democracy. The ruling party, which took office in 2002, implemented reforms that aligned with European Union democratic standards, and the country's human rights record began to improve."

"The failure of the July 15 coup attempt is an event of historical importance as an anti-democratic intervention against the government that came to power through elections was repelled with the support of the people. However, preventing the coup is not enough for democracy to win. Neither the rule of a minority, nor the rule of the majority and its resulting oppression of the minority, nor the autocratism of the elected people are true democracy. Democracy cannot be mentioned without fundamental human rights and freedoms, especially the rule of law, separation of powers, and freedom of expression. For Turkey, real victory in the name of democracy is possible with the revival of these fundamental values."

"Unfortunately, these democratic reforms were short-lived. Within a few years, reforms stalled, and after his third election victory in 2011, then-Prime Minister and now-President Erdoğan made a complete U-turn. Since then, the increasingly intense authoritarianism has made Turkey no longer a model for other Muslim-majority countries to follow. Some may see Turkey's recent negative example as evidence of the incompatibility between democratic and Islamic values. However, this would be a misdiagnosis/conclusion."

"As the presidents of the United States and Turkey meet at the White House on Tuesday, the leader of the country I have called home for almost two decades comes face to face with the leader of my homeland. The two countries have a lot at stake, including the fight against the Islamic State, the future of Syria and the refugee crisis."

"It is not possible to explain actions such as the arson of the cultural center in Paris, the detention of sick journalists without regard to their health conditions, the closure of 35 hospitals and the humanitarian aid association Kimse Yok Mu, the taking of family members hostage when the wanted people could not be found, and the forced resignation of 1500 academics by associating them with the coup. It seems that the government is trying to intimidate non-governmental organizations as it is trying to purge all those who do not obey it from state institutions by appearing to target Hizmet participants. The human rights violations, including torture, reflected in Amnesty International reports are chilling. This is a human tragedy."

"As the coup attempt unfolded, I fiercely denounced it and denied any involvement. Furthermore, I said that anyone who participated in the putsch betrayed my ideals. Nevertheless, and without evidence, Erdogan immediately accused me of orchestrating it from 5,000 miles away."

"Contrary to appearances, despite their outward appearance of Islamic sensitivity, the actions of the current government are diametrically opposed to core Islamic values. These core values ​​are not about a particular style of dress or the use of religious slogans. The fundamental values ​​of Islam related to governance are respect for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, the accountability of those in power, and the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of every individual. The recent regression in Turkey's democratic experience is not a result of adherence to Islamic values, but rather a betrayal of them."

"The spirit of the Quran, and so to speak, the philosophy of the biography, can only be grasped through a holistic perspective and with the sincere intention of seeking God's will. The third mistake is to claim that democracy and religion are incompatible, claiming that "Religion is based on God's sovereignty, while democracy is based on the people's vote." No believer doubts that God Almighty rules everything in a cosmological sense; however, this does not mean that our wills, inclinations, and preferences do not exist, or that God does not take them into account. The fact that sovereignty belongs to the people—God forbid—does not mean that it is taken from God and given to the people; it is the taking of a matter entrusted to the people's control by God from any despotic individual or oligarchy and entrusting it to the people."

"Egypt has an exceptional place in the Islamic world. This geography, which has been the cradle of civilizations in history, has also raised important people in Islamic history and hosted centers of science. Egypt maintains its special position and importance for the future of the Middle East. Egypt's internal peace and stability are of critical importance for this geography."

"Volunteers of this movement have been monitored by hundreds of governments, intelligence agencies, researchers or independent civil society actors around the world for 25 years and no illegal activity has been found. For this reason, many countries do not take seriously the Turkish Government's theses about the Hizmet movement."

"NATO played a critical role in ensuring Turkey's security during the cold war years. At the same time, the steps taken for NATO membership contributed to Turkey's democratization. While this membership continued, Turkey took as an example the members of NATO, which are democratic and law-abiding states. Erdogan's initiative is a move that harms this alliance. However, it is very difficult to know their sincerity on this issue. Because they lied so much that we don't know whether they are sincere or whether they are doing it to get some concessions from America and Europe."

"The greatest characteristic of the Hizmet movement is that they do not aspire to political power, but instead seek solutions to problems that threaten the future of their societies and require long-term efforts. At a time when the Islamic geography was characterized by terrorism, bloodshed and backwardness, they focused on raising educated and dialogic generations who actively contribute to the society they live in. Since I believe that the biggest problems of this geography are ignorance, strife and poverty, I have always advised my followers to "open schools, not mosques or Quran courses." Participants in the Hizmet movement are involved in education, health and humanitarian aid activities not only in Turkey but also in 160 countries around the world, from Asia to Africa. The most important feature of these activities is the effort to provide the same services not only to Muslims but also to people of all religions and ethnicities. It opened girls' high schools in the most difficult regions of Pakistan and continued to provide education in the Central African Republic during the civil war. In Nigeria, Boko Haram has taken girls hostage, while Hizmet participants have opened schools educating girls. I have encouraged people who share my ideas, both in France and in the French-speaking world, to fight against groups that espouse radical Islam and to support the country's authorities in this struggle. I have encouraged Muslims living in these countries to become free-willed individuals who produce added value for the societies in which they live, who are recognized for their contributions rather than being associated with problems. Unfortunately, the Turkish government is complaining to world governments about these people and the schools they opened, who had no involvement in the bloody terrorist attack of July 15, and who categorically opposed violence. My call to all world governments is to not take these unfounded claims seriously and reject irrational demands."