Turkey: Council of Journalists Action, purportedly a coalition of three media groups; whether it is associated in any way with Fethullah Gulen (1997-2000)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 18 September 2000 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | TUR35319.E |
| Reference | 7 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Turkey: Council of Journalists Action, purportedly a coalition of three media groups; whether it is associated in any way with Fethullah Gulen (1997-2000), 18 September 2000, TUR35319.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4beb210.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
No references to a group called the Council of Journalists Action could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, several references were found to a group called the Foundation of Journalists and Writers (also the Journalists and Writers Foundation, Journalists and Writers Trust) allegedly founded by or close to an organization whose leader is Fethullah Gulen (AFP 21 June 1999; Milliyet 21 July 2000; Pearls of Wisdom n.d.). According to a Fethullah Gulen Webpage, Fethullah Gulen "pioneered the founding of The Foundation of Journalists and Writers for the promotion of dialogue for tolerance among people" (ibid.).
AFP reported that in 1997 "a foundation of journalists and writers close to Gulen ... awarded [Turkish President] Demirel its 'national reconciliation' prize" (21 June 1999). According to the Istanbul Milliyet, the Journalists and Writers Trust organized three-day meetings in July 2000 under the theme of "democratic state of law" to be considered by a politics-law committee and a history-philosophy-society committee (21 July 2000). The report states that although previous meetings had been dominated by theologians addressing issues of religious-secular relations, the July 2000 meetings included political scientists, historians and jurists. An undated reference to the Foundation of Writers and Journalists contains a photo of Fethullah Gulen with prominent figures who had been "awarded for their contribution to the promotion of tolerance and dialogue in Turkey" ("His Dialogue Efforts" n.d.).
In August 2000, it was reported that the Journalists and Writers Foundation was one of a large number of associations and institutions regarded as "illegal connections of the [Fethullah Gulen] organization" and were identified for further investigation (Milliyet 23 Aug. 2000).
No further information regarding the membership or goals of the Foundation, or regarding the investigation, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Agence France Presse (AFP). 21 June 1999. "Turkish State Attacks Powerful Moslem Sect." (NEXIS)
FethullahGulen.org. n.d. "His Dialogue Efforts."
Milliyet [Istanbul, in Turkish]. 23 August 2000. Gokcer Tahincioglu. "Lawsuits to be Filed Against Nurist Congregation in Turkey." (FBIS-WEU-2000-0824 23 Aug. 2000/WNC)
_____. 21 July 2000. Rusen Cakir. "Abant Platform Subjects, Participants Reported." (FBIS-WEU-2000-0721 21 July 2000/WNC)
Pearls of Wisdom. n.d. "M. Fethullah Gulen."
Additional Sources Consulted
Unsuccessful attempts to contact an oral source.
Internet sites, including:
Committee to Protect Journalists
IFEX
LEXIS/NEXIS
Reporters Sans Frontieres
Turkey Update
Search engines, including:
Alltheweb
Dogpile
Hotbot