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Media reports supposed mastermind of 2016 Turkish armed coup passes away
(MENAFN) Fethullah Gülen, the exiled Turkish cleric long accused by the Turkish government of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt, has reportedly passed away in the United States. According to the Herkul news website, affiliated with his movement, Gülen died in a hospital on Sunday evening after battling a prolonged illness at the age of 83.
The coup attempt in July 2016 saw a faction of the Turkish military attempt to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government, resulting in widespread violence that claimed around 300 lives. In the aftermath, the Turkish government launched a comprehensive crackdown on individuals suspected of loyalty to Gülen, leading to the arrest and prosecution of thousands. Gülen's Hizmet movement was designated by Ankara as the “Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO).”
Gülen moved to the U.S. in 1999 for medical treatment and subsequently chose to remain, leading Turkish officials to accuse him of creating a network of followers who infiltrated various levels of the Turkish government, especially within the judiciary. Despite numerous requests from Ankara for his extradition, the U.S. has consistently rejected these appeals.
Initially, during Erdoğan’s rise to political prominence in the 1980s, Gülen and Erdoğan were viewed as allies. However, their relationship soured after 2013, when Gülen criticized the government’s response to the Gezi Park protests—mass demonstrations against government policies perceived to be moving Turkey away from secularism and towards increased Islamism. This split marked the beginning of a significant rift that would lead to Gülen being viewed as a primary adversary by the Turkish state.
The death of Gülen may have significant implications for Turkish politics, particularly in the context of the ongoing tensions between the Turkish government and his followers, both domestically and among the diaspora. As the Turkish government continues to address the ramifications of the coup attempt, Gülen's passing closes a contentious chapter in Turkey's recent history.
The coup attempt in July 2016 saw a faction of the Turkish military attempt to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government, resulting in widespread violence that claimed around 300 lives. In the aftermath, the Turkish government launched a comprehensive crackdown on individuals suspected of loyalty to Gülen, leading to the arrest and prosecution of thousands. Gülen's Hizmet movement was designated by Ankara as the “Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO).”
Gülen moved to the U.S. in 1999 for medical treatment and subsequently chose to remain, leading Turkish officials to accuse him of creating a network of followers who infiltrated various levels of the Turkish government, especially within the judiciary. Despite numerous requests from Ankara for his extradition, the U.S. has consistently rejected these appeals.
Initially, during Erdoğan’s rise to political prominence in the 1980s, Gülen and Erdoğan were viewed as allies. However, their relationship soured after 2013, when Gülen criticized the government’s response to the Gezi Park protests—mass demonstrations against government policies perceived to be moving Turkey away from secularism and towards increased Islamism. This split marked the beginning of a significant rift that would lead to Gülen being viewed as a primary adversary by the Turkish state.
The death of Gülen may have significant implications for Turkish politics, particularly in the context of the ongoing tensions between the Turkish government and his followers, both domestically and among the diaspora. As the Turkish government continues to address the ramifications of the coup attempt, Gülen's passing closes a contentious chapter in Turkey's recent history.
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