Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric living in the United States, has been accused of orchestrating a coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey in 2016. Gulen, who has been living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, has denied any involvement in the attempted coup, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people and the arrest of thousands more.
The Turkish government has blamed Gulen and his followers, known as the Gulenist movement, for the coup attempt and has launched a widespread crackdown on alleged Gulen supporters in Turkey. Thousands of people, including military officers, judges, journalists, and academics, have been arrested and imprisoned in connection with the coup.
Gulen, a former ally of Erdogan, founded a network of schools, charities, and businesses in Turkey and around the world that promoted a moderate form of Islam and education. However, Erdogan has accused Gulen of creating a parallel state within the Turkish government and using his followers to infiltrate and undermine the country’s institutions.
The United States government has refused to extradite Gulen to Turkey, citing a lack of credible evidence linking him to the coup attempt. Gulen has also denied any involvement in the coup, stating that he advocates for democracy, human rights, and peaceful dialogue.
The ongoing tensions between Gulen and Erdogan have strained relations between the United States and Turkey, two key NATO allies. The Turkish government has urged the United States to extradite Gulen, while the US has called for due process and the rule of law to be followed in any legal proceedings against Gulen.
Despite the accusations and crackdown against his supporters, Gulen continues to reside in Pennsylvania, maintaining his innocence and advocating for peaceful dialogue and reconciliation in Turkey.
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