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

Report claims government categorized schools linked to Hizmet

The Turkish government classified, categorized and monitored a number of educational institutions in some way linked to Hizmet, a faith-based movement inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, until 2010, a Turkish daily reported on Sunday. “After statements confirmed the document, not only did I feel shattered, I am left speechless,” Gülen said.

Pro-gov’t columnist: Turkish state must assassinate Fethullah Gülen

Fatih Tezcan, a pro-government columnist, said in a video that he is sure the Turkish state had embedded a secret agent in the Gülen movement and that now it is time for him to “terminate” Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. During his 1.08-minute video, Tezcan curses the Gülen movement and the US-based Gülen and says that the murder of Gülen is something desired by the entire Muslim world.

Gülen’s curse was misquoted, misinterpreted, GYV chief says

Mustafa Yeşil, chairman of the Journalists and Writers Foundation’s (GYV) executive board, in response to criticisms targeting prominent Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, said the curse uttered by Gülen did not have a direct reference and was poorly comprehended and highly manipulated by some who repeated it.

Turkey’s purges continue a year after failed coup

One year on, Turkey’s crackdown on suspected coup plotters shows no signs of ending – and has now reached human rights workers. Diego Cupolo reports from Ankara.

Pilot who flew Erdoğan on coup night fired from Turkish Airlines over Gülen links

Barış Yurtseven, the pilot of the plane that brought Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to İstanbul on the night of a failed military coup attempt last July, was fired from Turkish Airlines in February over alleged links to the Gülen movement.

Boston Globe: Fethullah Gulen, a US resident wanted by Turkey, must be protected

Why was the White House even talking about Gulen, who has been living peacefully, and legally, in Pennsylvania?

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

Discrimination by AKP government [against Hizmet movement]

Hizmet movement applauded at friendship dinner in Italy

AK Party’s social media instructions to ministries raise questions of legality

Kimse Yok Mu provides water to 50,000 people in Pakistan

Gov’t’s hate campaign against Kimse Yok Mu draws condemnations

Kimse Yok Mu extends helping hand to Haitian orphans

Reach of Turkey’s Erdoğan spreading like fungus across U.S. – analysis

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News