Mevlut Cavusoglu’s Statement

Incident Information 

Date of Incident: January 20, 2023

Location of Incident: Houston, Texas, United States

Identifying information of Perpetrator: Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister

Source: https://www.trtworld.com/americas/türkiye-expects-us-to-extradite-feto-terrorists-cavusoglu-64687 

Hate Speech Analysis

Transcription of hate speech statement: “I hope the United States will also extradite” [FETO members] and “The FBI told us that they saw the dark side of the FETO terrorist organisation and that they resorted to all kinds of methods, including human smuggling, irregularities in visas, and money laundering,”

Target group(s) of hate speech: Members of the Gülen movement

Justification of hate speech: The Turkish government’s labeling of the Gülen movement as a terrorist organization and referring to it as the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO), implying that it is a criminal and violent organization and by making statements that imply that the Gülen movement is a dangerous organization engaged in illegal activities, such as human smuggling, irregularities in visas, and money laundering, is used as a tool to create public opinion against the Gülen movement in the United States and to manipulate US officials to take steps against the movement.

Analysis of the hate speech statement: The statement by the Turkish Foreign Minister is calling for the extradition of members of the Gülen movement from the United States to Turkey, based on the assumption that they are members of a terrorist organization and should face justice in Turkey. This statement uses the term “FETO” to refer to the Gülen movement, which is considered hate speech as it is a highly negative and pejorative term that demonizes the movement and its members. The use of this term implies that the movement is a monolithic and secretive organization with a hierarchical structure that is engaged in terrorist activities. Furthermore, by using the term “FETO”, it implies that members of the movement are not legitimate and that the movement is not a legitimate social or religious organization. This can 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.

Additionally, the statement also claims that the FBI has seen the “dark side” of the FETO terrorist organization and that they have resorted to methods such as human smuggling, irregularities in visas, and money laundering. These statements further criminalize and demonize the Gülen movement and its members and can lead to further discrimination, marginalization, and persecution of the members of the movement.

Contextual information: The Gülen movement, led by Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen, has been accused by the Turkish government of being behind the failed 2016 coup attempt. The movement, also known as Hizmet, has denied any involvement in the coup and has stated that it is a peaceful civic organization. The Turkish government has labeled the movement as a terrorist organization and has referred to it as the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO). The Turkish government has also pressured other countries to shut down Gülen-linked institutions and to extradite individuals believed to be associated with the movement.

Impact of the statement: The statement could further strain the relationship between Turkey and the United States and could lead to increased discrimination and prejudice against individuals believed to be associated with the Gülen movement. It could also lead to the extradition of individuals who may not have been involved in any criminal activities and could be subjected to human rights violations in Turkey.

Conclusion

The statement by the Turkish Foreign Minister calling for the extradition of members of the Gülen movement from the United States to Turkey is based on the assumption that they are members of a terrorist organization. The use of the term “FETO” to refer to the Gülen movement in this statement is considered hate speech as it is a highly negative and pejorative term that demonizes the movement and its members, implies that they are not legitimate, and portray the movement as a criminal and violent organization. Additionally, the statements claiming that the Gülen movement is engaged in illegal activities such as human smuggling, irregularities in visas, and money laundering further criminalize and demonize the Gülen movement and its members. This can lead to further discrimination, marginalization, and persecution of the members of the movement. The statement can also lead to human rights violations against individuals who may not have been involved in any criminal activities. The government’s justification for this hate speech is to create public opinion against the Gülen movement in the United States and to manipulate US officials to take steps against the movement by creating the perception that it is a dangerous organization.