Fethullah Gulen, Former Ally Turned Exile, Dies at 83 Amid Controversies
Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Muslim cleric and former ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reportedly passed away at the age of 83. His death was announced by the Herkul website, known for publishing Gulen's sermons, stating that he died on October 20, 2024, at 9:20 PM in a hospital where he had been receiving treatment. The website mentioned that a medical statement from Gulen's doctors would follow soon. However, it did not disclose the specific illness he had been battling.
Living in exile in the United States since 1999, Gulen was stripped of his Turkish citizenship in 2017 after being accused of orchestrating the failed coup attempt in 2016. This event marked a significant turning point in Turkey's political landscape, leading to the deaths of approximately 250 people as renegade soldiers attempted to overthrow Erdogan's government using military force.
In the aftermath of the attempted coup, the Turkish government launched a comprehensive crackdown on Gulen's network, known as Hizmet, which translates to "service" in Turkish. The government claimed that Gulen was responsible for the upheaval, a charge that he consistently denied. The Hizmet movement is often characterized as opaque yet influential, primarily involved in educational initiatives and civil society advocacy.
The fallout from the coup attempt resulted in tens of thousands of dismissals and incarcerations in Turkey, along with strained diplomatic ties between Ankara and countries that maintained connections to Gulen, particularly through his network of private schools.
The reach of Turkey's campaign against Gulen's followers also extended to regional allies, with some Central Asian countries intensifying their crackdowns on institutions associated with the cleric, a process that had started prior to the coup. Reports have surfaced in recent years indicating that Turkish nationals accused of affiliations with Gulen have been forcibly apprehended and taken back to Turkey.
A notable case being the abduction of Turkish-Kyrgyz educator Orhan Inandi, who was seized by Turkish agents in 2021 while in Kyrgyzstan. Later, Inandi faced a 21-year prison sentence in Turkey for allegedly establishing an armed terrorist group.
Gulen's death raises questions about the future of his movement and the ongoing repercussions of the events surrounding the coup attempt that transformed Turkey's political climate. With Gulen gone, it remains to be seen how both his followers and the Turkish government will navigate the complex legacy he leaves behind.
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