Incident Information
Date of incident: January 18, 2023
Location of incident: Turkey
Identifying information of perpetrator: Sabah Newspaper
Hate Speech Analysis
Transcription of hate speech statement: "Foreign Ministry cleansed of crypto FETÖ[1] members. Nine of the 12 suspects for whom detention warrants were issued in the investigation against FETÖ's intimate organization in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were arrested. Eight of the suspects, who were found to be using ByLock, had been dismissed from their jobs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs due to their links to the organization. 4 suspects were also included in the detention list due to their involvement in the theft of exam questions in the organization's study houses in 2015."
Target group(s) of hate speech: The Gülen movement and its members
Justification of hate speech: The statement intends to justify the government's crackdown on the movement and its members by implying that they are a negative and unwanted presence in government institutions and are engaged in criminal activities. The statement also intends to legitimize the dismissal and arrest of members of the movement by implying that they are hiding their affiliation and working covertly within government institutions.
Analysis of the hate speech statement: The statement "Foreign Ministry cleansed of crypto FETÖ members" implies that members of the Gülen movement, referred to as "FETÖ", have infiltrated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that steps are being taken to remove them from the ministry. The use of the word "cleansed" implies that the Gülen movement is a negative and unwanted presence in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that its members are being removed in order to purify the institution. This portrayal of the movement as a negative and unwanted presence can lead to further discrimination, marginalization, and persecution of the members of the movement.
The phrase "crypto FETÖ members" implies that members of the movement are hiding their affiliation and working covertly within government institutions. This portrayal of the members of the movement as secretive and deceitful can lead to further mistrust and suspicion of the members of the movement, making it easier for people to justify violence and other forms of abuse against them.
The term "FETÖ's intimate organization" implies that the Gülen movement has a secretive and hierarchical structure that is working to infiltrate and control government institutions. This portrayal of the movement as a monolithic and secretive organization can lead to further mistrust and suspicion of the members of the movement, making it easier for people to justify violence and other forms of abuse against them.
The phrase "involvement in the theft of exam questions" implies that the members of the Gülen movement have engaged in criminal activities and cheated to gain advantage. This portrayal of the members of the movement as dishonest and criminal can lead to further mistrust and suspicion of the members of the movement, making it easier for people to justify violence and other forms of abuse against them.
Contextual information: The statement is made in the context of an article discussing the arrest of 9 out of 12 suspects for whom detention warrants were issued in an investigation against alleged members of Gülen movement in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Impact of the statement: The statement have a negative impact on the perception of the Gülen movement and its members. It implies that the movement has infiltrated government institutions and is a negative and unwanted presence in them. It also implies that members of the movement are hiding their affiliation and working covertly, which can lead to further mistrust and suspicion of the members of the movement. The use of the term "FETÖ" to describe the movement and the term "crypto FETÖ members" implies that the movement is a criminal and violent organization. The use of the word "cleansed" implies that the movement is a negative and unwanted presence in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that its members are being removed in order to purify the institution. This portrayal of the movement as a negative and unwanted presence can lead to further discrimination, marginalization, and persecution of the members of the movement. It can also lead to a dehumanization of the members of the movement, making it easier for people to justify violence and other forms of abuse against them.
Conclusion
The news report claims that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been "cleansed" of members of the Gülen movement, referred to as "FETÖ" and implies that they were using encrypted communication methods and were involved in criminal activities. The report clearly contains hate speech elements, using the pejorative term "FETÖ" to describe the movement and implying that its members are a negative and unwanted presence in government institutions. This portrayal of the movement and its members can lead to further discrimination, marginalization, and persecution. It also implies that the members of the movement are hiding their affiliation and working covertly, which can lead to further mistrust and suspicion of the members of the movement. In summary, the report contains hate speech elements that demonize the Gülen movement and its members and may have a negative impact on their perception, and it is important to highlight that the use of the term "FETÖ" is considered hate speech and is part of a larger pattern of demonization of the Gülen movement in Turkish media.
[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.