Incident Information
Date of incident: January 27, 2023
Location of incident: Germany
Identifying information of perpetrator: Abdurrahman Şimşek and Sabah Newspaper
Hate Speech Analysis
Transcription of hate speech statement: Since the text of the report is very long and written in an extremely defamatory tone, only the words in the text that are considered as hate speech are included: "FETÖ's[1] corruptor of religion, treasonous projects, subcontracted by FETÖ, Vatican-based, umbrella religion, FETÖ's mastermind, the project to destroy religion, a fugitive of the organization, FETÖ members."
Target group(s) of hate speech: Members of the Gülen movement
Justification of hate speech: The report suggests that the target individuals are members of a terrorist organization and are involved in nefarious activities such as "treasonous projects" and "the project to destroy religion."
Analysis of the hate speech statement: The report from Sabah newspaper appears to be part of a larger narrative that the Gülen movement is a terrorist organization that is trying to "destroy Islam" and "legitimize and support a terrorist organization" through projects such as "interfaith dialogue" and "umbrella religion." The use of language such as "treasonous" and "corruptor of religion" is clearly intended to demonize and criminalize the target group and their activities. The report also implies that the target individuals are fugitives who are actively working to subvert the government and religious institutions.
These words are used to dehumanize and vilify a specific group of people, in this case, members of the members of the Gülen movement. Words such as "corruptor of religion" and "treasonous projects" are used to present the group as inherently immoral and dangerous. Similarly, phrases like "the project to destroy religion" and "fugitive of the organization" are used to present the group as actively working against society and its values.
The use of the word "FETÖ's mastermind" is used to present the group as a unified, nefarious entity controlled by a single, nefarious individual. The use of the word "Vatican-based" implies that the group has some kind of international support, which can further increase the perceived threat of the group.
Furthermore, the phrase "subcontracted by FETÖ" implies that the person or group being referred to is working on behalf of the Gülen movement in some capacity, while "FETÖ members" identifies the person or group as being a part of that organization. Both of these phrases are used in a negative context within the news report, and could be seen as implying that anyone associated with the Gülen movement is untrustworthy or engaged in nefarious activities. This kind of language can be considered hate speech because it promotes negative stereotypes and discrimination against individuals based on their association with a particular group.
Contextual information: The statement in question refers to the Gülen movement, which is a religious and social movement founded by Fethullah Gülen. The movement, which has been active for decades, promotes a moderate and progressive interpretation of Islam and has a strong emphasis on education and interfaith dialogue. However, the Turkish government and some members of the public have accused the movement of being a terrorist organization and of being behind a failed coup attempt in 2016. As a result, the movement and its members have faced significant persecution, including mass arrests and dismissal from public and private sector jobs.
Additionally, in recent months, Sabah newspaper has been publishing reports targeting members of the Gülen movement living in Europe and attacking their reputation. This report is a continuation of this series and contains a large number of hate speech.
Impact of the statement: The statement in question contains several words and phrases that are derogatory and dehumanizing towards members of the Gülen movement. Words such as "corruptor of religion," "treasonous," "subcontracted," "fugitive," and "FETÖ members" are used to label and stigmatize members of the movement. This type of hate speech can have a significant impact on members of the Gülen movement, who may already be facing persecution and discrimination in Turkey. The use of hate speech can further marginalize and isolate them, as well as incite further violence and discrimination against them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the statement in the news report uses language that constitutes hate speech towards members of the Gülen movement. The statement demonizes and delegitimizes Gülen movement members by implying that they are actively trying to harm religion and the state. This type of language can have a significant impact on the perception of Gülen movement members and can lead to further discrimination and violence against them.
[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.