Incident Information
Date of incident: January 24, 2023
Location of incident: TBMM (Grand National Assembly of Turkey) MHP Parliamentary Group Meeting, Ankara, Turkey
Identifying information of perpetrator: Devlet Bahçeli, President of the MHP (Nationalist Movement Party)
Hate Speech Analysis
Transcription of hate speech statement: "You should know that whatever happened in the course of history from 1918 to 1923, similar things have happened since the #15Temmuz2016 FETÖ[1] coup attempt. There has been no change in the ambitions and energy of the cruel goals and treason projects."
Target group(s) of hate speech: Members of the Gülen movement
Justification of hate speech: The statement was made during an official meeting of the MHP group in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, which is located in the capital city of Ankara, Turkey. The statement implies that the Gülen movement, which is believed to have been behind the coup attempt in 2016, is an enemy force that is attempting to occupy Turkey and that their goals and projects are cruel and traitorous.
Analysis of the hate speech statement: The statement uses language and comparisons that are meant to dehumanize and demonize members of the Gülen movement. The statement made by Devlet Bahçeli implies that the Gülen movement, which is alleged to have been behind the coup attempt in 2016, is an enemy force with "cruel" and "traitorous" goals and projects. The comparison to the War of Independence implies that the Gülen movement is an occupying force that is attempting to harm the country, and the use of words like "cruel" and "treason" further reinforces this dehumanization. These implications contribute to further stigmatization and marginalization of the Gülen movement. Additionally, the statements are used to justify actions taken against the group by the government and other political groups. This kind of speech has a serious negative impact on individuals and society as a whole.
Contextual information: The attempted coup in 2016 was a significant event in Turkey's recent history and there has been ongoing political and social debate about the role of the Gülen movement in it. The Gülen movement has flatly denied the allegations and immediately after the coup, the leader of the movement called for an international commission to investigate the allegations, but the Turkish government has not responded to this call.
Impact of the statement: The statement can contribute to further stigmatization and marginalization of members of the Gülen movement, and can also be used to justify actions taken against them by the government and other political groups.
Conclusion
The statement made by Devlet Bahçeli constitutes hate speech as it targets and dehumanizes members of the Gülen movement. The statement is intended to justify the actions taken against the group and to further stigmatize and marginalize them. It is important to acknowledge the serious negative impact this kind of speech can have on individuals and society as a whole.
[1] FETÖ is a derogatory term that the Turkish government coined to refer to the faith-based Gülen movement, which it deems a terrorist group responsible for a failed military coup in July 2016. Its US-based leader, Fethullah Gülen, denies any involvement in the putsch. The European Union and the United States have refused to adopt Turkey’s views on the group.
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