porkyAug 20th, 2007 - 17:13:26

The most precious asset the West has is the freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech is also Islam's greatest enemy.

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Ed DarrellAug 20th, 2007 - 17:57:25

You'd think Turkey would be more circumspect about such actions of totalitarianism, if they are serious about joining the EU. Maybe Turkey's justice wheels grind slowly -- but this is an affront to liberty- and knowledge-loving people everywhere.

Ed Darrell
www.timpanogos.wordpress.com
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub

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Edip YukselAug 20th, 2007 - 18:49:33

I am Edip Yuksel, who is lambasted by Adnan Oktar and his followers. Adnan Oktar is a cult leader who have enslaved many children of rich and elite. His sexual and mental abuse of his subjects is a well known fact to Turkish people. His confession in police alone, which is corroborated by his former followers to details, is sufficient to put him behind bars. But so far, money, connections, blackmail and all the tricks available to his well-connected and super rich followers have kept him out of trouble. But his days are numbered and now there is a major case against him in Turkish courts for black mail and illegal activities. He has censored hundreds, yes hundreds of websites exposing his abusive dealings in his cult. By using backward laws in Turkish legal system, he was able to ban my site. Though I hired an attorney in Turkey from Arizona, and though I transferred the article from www.19.org (which was very popular among progressive minded muslims in Turkey) to another site, and though my attorney removed the court’s order for ban, yes despite all of those, his cult was able to use their informants and connections in Turkish Telecom to keep my site blocked for Turkish population. I am a Turkish author and escaped to the United State for my freedom of expression. Unfortunately, during my last visit I had to appear at the Turkish court because Adnan and his followers sued me for frivolous claims. They tried their best to make me get arrested. They even used their trolls at airport police station to stop me from coming back my home in the USA. After I left Turkey, they submitted to Turkish prosecutors some of my article critical of repressive laws, Turkish military’s meddling with politics, and racist policies against Kurds. I recently learned that, upon this audacious cult’s campaign against me, there are now several charges against me in Turkish courts, and I am sought by police. Below is the article that has made the paranoid cult leader so furious, leading him to put me on the top of his long list “enemies.”

To find the article on the net, please google its title: Harun Yahya or Adnan Oktar: The Promised Mahdi?

Peace,
Edip Yuksel

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ConcernedAug 20th, 2007 - 21:53:48

We should digg this story at digg.com to raise awareness that has blocked millions of people from accessing thousands of blogs because of one nut case and court order. This is when we need the blogging community to stick together.

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Not Edip or HarunAug 22nd, 2007 - 08:39:41

Mr Yuksel and many others depict him as David and casting Harun Yahya as goliath. and many Islamophobes had a field day with this, portraying the event as Islasmists banning free speech.

It is typical edip Yuksel stunt, who I consider from the 'famous for being famous' bunch. or 'conroversies are us'. I never heard of his name in another contekst than attacking Islam, ulema, or religous personalities.

I , as a victimezed Turkish WP blogger, condemned the ban with the strongest language (I expressed my views on the matter at my blog 'Bir MUnzevi'nin Notlarindan' bekirlyildirim.wordpress.com' in an article entitled 'Wordpress Ban: Throwing the Baby with the Bathwater')

But the issue here is not a religous zealot stutting down WP; or in broader context a free speech issue. Below is the comment I made on the issue at Matt's blog (WP webmaster).

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Knowing a bit from the first hand experience with the Turkish judicial system and the bureaucracy , I blamed primarily the system in this ostensibly minor event turning into a saga. It appears now that there is enough blame to go around including possibly the WP which I held blameless so far.

Perusing through some of the comments on the matter it appears that some of the commenters have an ax to grind with Adnan Oktar (a.k.a. Harun Yahya) . They make his an issue of creationism versus evolutionism, which it should not be. The position Matt seems to be taking is that it is a free exchange of information in the internet , as parti of fundamental right of free speech.

This is certainly a view held by many including myself in principle. However the matter gets a bit thorny when you get into the limits, boundaries of the exercise of such right. That is why we have caseloads before the courts dealing with issues such as slander, defamation, libel, trademarks, copyrights and so on, -some of which are involved in this case. I am not going to attempt to sort out all the legal and moral issues and heir ramifications in this case. All I am trying o do is to invite all concerned to differentiate between personal dislike for a person, or opposition to his views on certain matters and justice.

I understand the predicament Matt and WP finds themselves in. They see the issue as an undemocratic justice system and an individual with strong arming the system to demand immunity from criticism. They are taking a stand on the side of the free speech. I urge them however to go beyond that reflexive behavior and engage in a bit deeper analysis of what Edip Yuksel is doing , and whether he is going over the bounds vis-a-vis the free speech. He has made a name for himself for attacking various religious persons, institutions and values sacred to others. I do not contest his right to be wrong , but I am also cognizant of the fact that WP does render judgement on suitability of the content of the blogs. The method Edip Yuksel is employing , specifically targeting another individual, and inviting others to abuse the blogging system with multiple blogs directed at the same purpose should also be questioned. WP cannot judge the veracity of all accusations in millions of pages of content, however it can place certain limits such as selection of blog names etc, as it does in the terms of service it is offering. Edip Yuksel and others should also be mindful of the fact that they have the right to free speech but exercising it on WP is a privilege.

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