Incident Information
Date of Incident: April 11, 2023
Location of Incident: Turkey
Identifying Information of Perpetrator: Aytun Çıray, a Member of Parliament (MP) from the IYI Party in Izmir, Turkey.
Hate Speech Analysis
Transcription of hate speech statement: "The FETÖ[1] elements that the AKP had planted in the TSK, the Police and the Justice Organization had to be purged." "How can FETÖ members in the police force be cleansed?"
Target group(s) of hate speech: Alleged members of the Gülen movement (referred to as "FETÖ" in the statement), specifically those who are purportedly part of the police force.
Justification of hate speech: The statement implies that members of the Gülen movement who are part of the police force need to be cleansed, suggesting that they are impure or contaminated due to their alleged affiliation with the group, justifying the use of hate speech against them.
Analysis of the hate speech statement: The statement by Aytun Çıray not only reiterates the need to purge alleged members of the Gülen movement from the military, police, and justice system, but also uses the term "cleansed" to refer to individuals associated with this group who are part of the police force. This language can be seen as dehumanizing and discriminatory, further contributing to the hate speech against these individuals.
Contextual information: The statement is made in the context of an alleged infiltration of the Gülen movement into various state institutions in Turkey, including the police force, as claimed by the AKP government. The use of the term "FETÖ," which is a derogatory label used by the Turkish government to refer to the Gülen movement, adds to the hate speech by promoting a negative perception of individuals associated with this group.
Impact of the statement: The statement can contribute to the stigmatization, discrimination, and mistreatment of alleged members of the Gülen movement who are part of the police force. It can also perpetuate the belief that individuals associated with this group are impure or contaminated, leading to potential bias, prejudice, and mistreatment.
Conclusion
The statement by Aytun Çıray in the Twitter post contains hate speech directed against alleged members of the Gülen movement, specifically those who are part of the police force, using derogatory language and suggesting they need to be "cleansed." Such language contributes to stigmatization, discrimination, and mistreatment of individuals associated with this group, and it is important to promote respectful and inclusive discourse that avoids hate speech and promotes tolerance and diversity.
[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.