In the past, I established friendly relations with leaders with different political views such as Mr. Turgut Özal, Mr. Süleyman Demirel and Mr. Bülen… - Fethullah Gülen
" "In the past, I established friendly relations with leaders with different political views such as Mr. Turgut Özal, Mr. Süleyman Demirel and Mr. Bülent Ecevit, and I wholeheartedly supported their correct actions. I was respected by them, especially for the Hizmet movement's contributions to education and social peace. Although I always kept my distance from political Islam, I appreciated Erdoğan and AKP leaders for the democratic reforms they made in the first period of their rule. However, throughout my life I have been against the military's intervention in politics and military coups. 22 years ago “There is no turning back from democracy and secularism.” Because I said this, I was subjected to insults by political Islamist circles close to today's government, who opposed these values at that time. I stand behind my words today, just like yesterday.
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About Fethullah Gülen
(27 April 1941 – 20 October 2024) was a Turkish preacher, former imam, writer and political figure.
Also Known As
Alternative Names:
Muhammad Fethullah Gülen
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Fetullah Gülen
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Gülen beweging
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Gülen-beweging
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Fetullah Gulen
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Gulen beweging
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Fethullah Gulen
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Gulen-beweging
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Muhammed Fethullah Gülen
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Additional quotes by Fethullah Gülen
I have seen all the military coups of Turkey and, like all Turkish people, I have experienced great suffering in all of them. After the coup of March 12, 1971, I was imprisoned by the decision of the junta administration. During the coup of September 12, 1980, an arrest warrant was issued for me and I lived on the run for 6 years. After the military coup of February 28, 1997, a lawsuit was filed against me on the charge of "one-man unarmed terrorist organization" and the death penalty was requested. During periods of military oppression, a lawsuit was filed three times on the charge of "leadership of a terrorist organization". I was acquitted of all these cases. While yesterday I was targeted by military governments with an authoritarian mentality, today I am being subjected to the same accusations, in a much more unlawful manner, by a civilian autocratic regime.
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As a matter of fact, the institutions that the Turkish Government closed down by declaring the Hizmet movement a terrorist organization as a political decision are schools, hospitals and humanitarian aid associations. The Hizmet volunteers, tens of thousands of whom have been detained and arrested, are teachers, entrepreneurs, doctors, academics or journalists. No evidence has been found to accuse these hundreds of thousands of witch hunt victims of either supporting the coup or any act of violence.
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