Fethullah Gulen Calls Crackdown ‘Dark Pages’ in History - Responses to World Affairs Council of Philadelphia

Fethullah Gulen Calls Crackdown ‘Dark Pages’ in History – Responses to World Affairs Council of Philadelphia

Date posted: September 16, 2016

Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen whom Turkey accuses of masterminding July’s abortive coup again condemned the Turkish government crackdown on his supporters, saying Thursday that his “heart is aching.”

In videotaped remarks to the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, Fethullah Gulen said the Turkish government is using the attempted coup to justify persecuting his followers, who he said are being “subjected to oppression and tyranny, molestation and unlawful acquisition of their private properties.”

Related News

Erdoğan’s imaginary power struggles

When we look at international media coverage of the recent corruption scandal in Turkey, we see that the events are generally seen as a “power struggle” between the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and the Hizmet movement.

Fethullah Gülen expresses thanks for condolences extended after brother’s death

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has thanked those who expressed their condolences following the death of his brother, Hasbi Nidai Gülen, last week. Gülen’s brother died on Friday morning at a hospital in Ankara, where he was receiving treatment for lung cancer. He was 66. Hundreds bade him farewell at funeral ceremonies held in Ankara […]

Ramadan Feast: Community Bonding at Its Best from the Turkish Cultural Center

Dignitaries, clergy, and everyday citizens, Jews, Christians and Muslims gathered Thursday night at Tarrytown’s DoubleTree Hotel by the invite of the Turkish Cultural Center for a Ramadan dinner, speeches, and entertainment. State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins praised the far-reaching outreach and inclusivity of this group and the peacefulness of their mission.

Hate crimes get worse in Turkey

Despite the fact that Turkey has recently adopted legislation against hate crimes, Turkey’s divisive Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has not stopped his attacks with verbal expressions of intolerance and hatred directed at the judiciary, opposition parties, the media, business groups and members of the Hizmet movement, a faith-based civic movement inspired by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Al-Jazeera: Turkish probe marks AKP-Gulen power struggle

Fethullah Gulen, 72, has been living in self-imposed exile in the US since 1999, reportedly, for health reasons
His movement is famous for its success in the area of education with tens of schools spread across the globe.

Turkey crackdown: deep unease in Fethullah Gulen’s home village

“They were a family of thinkers,” said a dairy farmer in the village who asked not to be named as he feared repercussions from the authorities. “They were good people. They came from nowhere, they had no water, nothing,” he says, pointing out the Gulen family’s former home, made from clay and rocks.