Forum 18 Search/ArchiveA court case in Turkey has pointed to the existence of a secretive underground ultra-nationalist organisation Ergenekon, though this might merely be another name for the "deep state". The trial began near Istanbul on 20 October of 86 alleged members – from the police, army, business, politics and the mass media - on charges that they were plotting to overthrow the current Justice and Development Party (AKP) government by 2009.
Ergenekon members are alleged to have maintained deathlists of people, including Christians with a missionary background. The Malatya murder trial is revealing plausible links between Ergenekon, the "deep state" and the murders. But local officials – who are almost certainly not in an Ergenekon-type group – are also hostile to religious freedom. The Ergenekon case is part of a power-struggle between the "deep state" and the AKP government, but it is unclear whether the current trials will advance freedom of religion and belief. Given the threats to the day-to-day security and religious freedom of non-nationalist Turks, whether the government effectively addresses the roots of these threats will be crucial.
Turkey and Secularism: Myth or Reality?The rights of Christians and the Alevi Muslims are not equal in today's Turkey. In recent times many Christians have been murdered. For the more numerous Alevi Muslims, it is clear that they face huge discrimination. Secular Turkey is a myth because under the surface we find a different Turkey based on preserving the dominance of orthodox Sunni Islam.
So why do democrats and secularists praise Turkey for being a shining example and evidence that democracy and Islam can work together? Turkey favors Islam over any other religion and religious equality does not exist. On the contrary, modern day Turkey supports Sunni orthodox Islam and persecution of minorities is endemic. Given this, Islam still controls society and Christians and other minorities face harsh times.
Turkish newspaper website blocked after creationist's complaint | World news | guardian.co.ukThe website of Turkey's third largest-selling newspaper has been blocked following a complaint by an Islamic creationist.
The case will revive concerns about the country's attitude towards internet censorship and press freedom.
A court ruled that Turkish web users should be denied access to the Vatan site after deciding it had insulted Adnan Oktar, a prolific writer who has disputed the theory of evolution.
ORDER OF SAINT ANDREW THE APOSTLE
Patriarchs, primates and representatives of all the Patriarchal and Autochephalous Orthodox Churches recommitted themselves to overcome intra-Orthodox conflicts as well as to continue theological dialogues with Christians from other confessions at a 10-12 October meeting in Istanbul, Turkey.
Mission Network News
Christian broadcasting company TURK-7 is getting ready to celebrate its anniversary. TURK-7 has maintained a ministry in Turkey for five years, creating the means to encourage Turkish Christians.
"TURK-7 exists to help support the minority Christians who live in Turkey," says David Harder of SAT-7 .
Ecumenical Patriarch calls for "unity" | Spero NewsWith a strong and heartfelt appeal for "the unity of the Church," the only way "to address the problems of the modern world," work began yesterday at the pan-Orthodox meeting in Fanar. The summit was organized by the ecumenical patriarchate, to celebrate the Pauline year, and is characterized by the presence of Church leaders and representatives from the entire Orthodox world, meeting together after many years. Among those present is Patriarch Alexy of Moscow, and for the first time, the attendance of the patriarch of Cyprus has not been blocked by the Turkish authorities.
TURKEY – GERMANY Orthodox summit in Turkey in the name of Paul - Asia NewsOrthodox patriarchs are meeting tomorrow in Istanbul, in the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, to celebrate the 2,000 years of Saint Paul’s birth. With the announcement that Aleksij II, Patriarch of Moscow will attend, the top leaders of Christian Orthodoxy will thus come together for the first time in many years. They include in addition to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos I, Theodoros II of Alexandria (Egypt), Ignatius IV of Antioch (Syria) and Theophilus III of Jerusalem (Israel). The two-day summit includes meetings and a joint celebration.
Church discovered in Turkey one of worlds earliestThe Derecik Basilica discovered in north-western province of Bursas Orhaneli town in Turkey in the year 2000 has been claimed as one of the worlds earliest churches that was constructed after Christianity was accepted as an official religion by the Roman Empire.
"From Tucson to Turkey"Turkey is a secular nation and it's the only Muslim country in the world that has no state sponsored religion. The younger generation wants more Democratic freedoms while its older and more traditional leaders want Islamic law to rule. There's close to 70 million people in Turkey and 99% of them are Muslim but there's a small number of Jews and Christians scattered in the mix, including the the arch bishop of the Armenian Catholic Church, "I am the arch bishop who is taking care of all the churches in Turkey," he tells us.
Turkey fails on promise to re-open seminary, US says - Turkish Daily News Sep 22, 2008 The Turkish government has repeatedly pledged to reopen the Halki (Heybeliada) Greek Orthodox seminary in Istanbul, but has so far failed to keep its promise, a senior U.S. official has said. John Hanford, ambassador-at-large for religious freedom at the U.S. State Department said the United States had been urging and would continue to urge Turkey to reopen the theological university based on Istanbul's Heybeliada Island. "I have personally raised them with the ambassador to Turkey. Our embassy continues to urge the government of Turkey to address these issues, topermit the opening of the Halki seminary, to further expand religious freedom in general," Hanford said, speaking at a news conference late Friday for the release of the department's annual report on international religious freedoms.
Facebook debate in Turkey - Radio Netherlands Worldwide - The State We're InFacebook, along with other social networking groups, is set to play a key role in Turkey's attempts to creating a new constitution and a society based on democracy and human rights. But the jury is still out about whether Facebook will empower people and draw them together or simply add to the polarization of Turkish society.
Sun2SurfThe chiefs of an Islamic charity were sent to prison in Germany on Wednesday after the Turkish men had admitted siphoning millions of euros away from alms donated by devout Muslims for the poor.
Malatya victims seek compensation, question whole systemThe relatives of two Turkish citizens who were brutally killed in Malatya last year filed a joint petition with an administrative court in Ankara last week to open a compensation case against authorities whom they believe are responsible for the murder of their loved ones.
Compass Direct News : TURKEY - TESTIMONY SHOWS MALATYA MURDERS PREMEDITATEDTestimony in the murder case of three Christians here indicates the attack was premeditated for at least two suspects, despite the defense team’s insistence that the killers acted spontaneously.
The 11th hearing on the murders at a publishing house in this southeastern city 17 months ago took place Friday (Sept. 12) at the Malatya Third Criminal Court. Two Turkish Christians who converted from Islam, Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel, and a German, Tilmann Geske, were brutally tortured and killed on April 18, 2007.
