Turkish authorities make numerous arrests over suspected ties to the Gülen network.
In Turkey, officials have captured 544 individuals connected to the movement of Erdogan critic Fethullah Gülen. Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the arrests via the short messaging platform X, which took place in 62 of the country's 81 provinces.
The detained individuals were allegedly planning to work in the public sector under the orders of the Gülen movement. They allegedly used the instant messaging app Bylock, which the Turkish government in Ankara believes is controlled by Gülen.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long accused Gülen of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt. The 83-year-old Muslim preacher, who's resided in the USA since 1999, has repeatedly denied the allegation.
Gülen is also accused by the Turkish authorities of masterminding the corruption allegations against the government back in December 2013, when Erdogan was still the prime minister. During the aftermath of the failed coup, over 40,000 people were detained, more than 140,000 were sacked or suspended from their positions, and nearly 3,000 received life sentences in Turkey.
On several occasions, Turkey has called for the extradition of Gülen supporters from various countries and attempted to make that a condition for Finland and Sweden's entry into NATO. However, these conditions were eventually dropped.
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Hundreds of individuals have been arrested in Turkey for their alleged connections to the Gülen movement, which is seen as an opposition to President Erdogan. The arrests, announced by Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, were made in 62 out of 81 provinces using the instant messaging app Bylock, which Turkish authorities believe is controlled by Fethullah Gülen.
Gülen's movement has been a point of contention between Erdogan and the 83-year-old Muslim preacher, who has resided in the USA since 1999. The Turkish authorities have accused Gülen of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt and masterminding the corruption allegations against the government in 2013.
Despite Turkey's repeated calls for the extradition of Gülen supporters from other countries, including attempts to make it a condition for Finland and Sweden's entry into NATO, these conditions have not been met.
Source: www.ntv.de
