Gülen says paying price for not supporting Erdoğan’s desire for presidential system


Date posted: September 9, 2016

In an interview with Politico magazine, Muslim scholar Fethullah Gülen, who is accused of masterminding Turkey’s foiled coup among other things, said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan targeted him and the Hizmet movement when he declined to support Erdoğan’s ambition for an executive presidency.

“Mr Erdoğan put pressure on me and Hizmet sympathizers to publicly support his idea of a presidential system. He increased the pressure by supporting government-funded alternatives to Hizmet institutions and then began threatening to close them down,” Gülen stated in a written interview with Nahal Toosi, which was published on Friday. According to Gülen, Hizmet sympathizers are paying a heavy price for their independence. Yet, he says he does not have any regrets.

The Turkish cleric, who has been in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999 as a result of political pressure in Turkey, denied accusations of “having a dark agenda” and said that if anyone following his teachings has been involved in any illegal activity, it means a “betrayal” of his peaceful teachings.

According to Gülen, by means of a relentless witch-hunt in the absence of rule of law, the Erdoğan government is trying to force Hizmet movement supporters into violence. However, Gülen said he is confident that they will continue to remain peaceful. According to Gülen, there is nobody in Turkey to stop Erdoğan’s “uninhibited ambitions.”

In response to a question on Turkey’s request for his extradition from the US, Gülen stated his belief that the US would not abandon its tradition of rule of law just to please Erdoğan.

The full text of the original interview can be found in this link.

Source: Turkish Minute , September 9, 2016

Tags: | | |


Related News

Hate speech in politics and media

It is hard to understand the relentless efforts of Turkish politicians and media networks to create new objects of hate, in contrast with the global and local struggle against racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and similar approaches that pave the way for hate speech, hate crime and discrimination. Hate speech, mutually produced in the context of the developments following the Gezi Park protests in June, is concrete proof that we are making life in this world increasingly unbearable for one another.

Communists in Cold War, reactionaries in Feb. 28 coup and Gülenists in Erdoğan era

It is useful to make a point here: Is it not true that some civil servants and officers, including prosecutors, judges, police officers, district governors and governors, are members of the Gülen movement? Of course it’s true. But is that a crime? No, it is not. People cannot be blamed for their beliefs, thoughts, identities or colors. They cannot be discriminated against because of such characteristics.

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Fethullah Gulen

The Muslim religious scholar from Turkey preaches a moderate form of Islam — one that regards terrorism as blasphemy and a woman’s headscarf as secondary to education. Gulen is also a wanted man. He is accused in Turkey of leading a terrorist organization that has attempted to topple the government. A Turkish court has issued three arrest warrants for him.

[Part 5] Gülen says ballot box is not everything in a democracy

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who has inspired the popular civic and social movement called Hizmet, said the ballot box is not everything, urging his followers to not stick to only one but to cast their votes freely based on their personal conviction. He added that focusing on the ballot box only makes some people comfortable in telling lies.

‘If you are against us, you are the other’

Turkey has been witnessing a rigorous debate for the last couple of weeks over the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) vow to finish off the test prep schools, which are a source of both money and influence for its old ally, the Hizmet Movement led by the self-exiled leader, Fethullah Gülen. Like many controversies in Turkey, the issue of closing the courses and integrating them into Turkey’s poorly-established and -organized education system was not only about the prep schools, which was only the tip of the iceberg.

Gulen Accuses Erdogan of ‘Hijacking’ Kosovo Deportees

Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish preacher who has lived in voluntary exile in the US since 1999, on Tuesday criticized the deportation of six Turkish citizens from Kosovo to Turkey in an operation conducted by Turkish state intelligence, likening it to a hijacking.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

French editor says Gülen’s messages on anti-terrorism revolutionary

Taiwanese scholar: Hizmet movement bears similarities to Confucianism

Deepening crisis

From republic to al-mukhabarat state

Kimse yok mu reaffirms commitment to assist Somalia

Deputy Minister of Culture Igor Șarov met the participants of the International Festival of Language and Culture

HAPPENING NOW: Police await outside hospital to detain woman who just gave birth

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News