The Gülen movement is a worldwide civic initiative rooted in the spiritual and humanistic tradition of Islam and inspired by the ideas and activism of the late Fethullah Gülen, a Muslim cleric who was living in exile in the US. It is known for its network of educational institutions and interfaith dialogue initiatives across the globe. After originating in Turkey as a grassroots community in the 1970s, the movement spread its activities to various regions worldwide, establishing schools, hospitals and charities in over 150 countries.
Self-designated as the “Hizmet movement” (“service” in Turkish), the group proclaims itself as a proponent of the ideals of human rights, equal opportunity, democracy, non-violence and the emphatic acceptance of religious and cultural diversity.
The movement’s activities depend on the countries and regions where it is present. For instance, it focuses on charity along with education in Africa, while its civic engagement in Western countries is more directed towards intercultural dialogue and the good integration of its members.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been targeting followers of the movement since the corruption investigations of December 17-25, 2013, which implicated then-prime minister Erdoğan, his family members and his inner circle.
Dismissing the investigations as a Gülenist coup and conspiracy against his government, Erdoğan designated the movement as a terrorist organization and began to target its members. He locked up thousands, including many prosecutors, judges and police officers involved in the investigations.
Some of the claims that were part of the corruption investigations were later substantiated in New York federal court, where Turkish banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla was sentenced to 32 months for conspiring to violate US sanctions on Iran and other offenses.
Erdoğan intensified the crackdown on the movement following a coup attempt on July 15, 2016 that he accused Gülen of masterminding. Gülen and the movement strongly deny involvement in the abortive putsch or any terrorist activity.
Following the failed coup, the Turkish government carried out a massive purge of state institutions under the pretext of an anti-coup fight. More than 130,000 public servants, including in excess of 4,000 judges and prosecutors, as well as 24,706 members of the armed forces were summarily removed from their jobs for alleged membership in or relationships with “terrorist organizations” by emergency decree-laws subject to neither judicial nor parliamentary scrutiny.
Such daily activities as having an account at or depositing money in a Gülen movement-affiliated bank, working at any institution linked to the movement or subscribing to certain newspapers and magazines were accepted as benchmarks for identifying and arresting alleged members of the movement.
According to a statement from the Turkish justice minister, a total of 705,172 people have been investigated on terrorism-related charges due to alleged links to the Gülen movement since the failed coup. As of July 2024,there were 13,251 people in prison who were in pretrial detention or convicted of terrorism in Gülen-linked trials.
During the year Erdoğan continued to relentlessly pursue anyone with alleged links to the movement. They have been the targets of hate speech, hate crimes, unlawful prosecution, torture and abductions among other serious human rights violations.
Here is some of the most important news from 2024 concerning Erdoğan’s crackdown on the Gülen movement:
Decisions and reports by international organizations and foreign governments
UN raised concerns over Turkey’s treatment of individuals linked to Gülen movement
The United Nations raised concerns about Turkey’s treatment of people accused of links to the Gülen movement, citing arbitrary detentions, torture allegations and systematic violations of due process. More..
Turkey snubbed UN special rapporteurs probing widespread human rights violations against Gülen movement
The Turkish government declined to cooperate with UN special rapporteurs investigating widespread human rights violations against individuals accused of being linked to the Gülen movement, according to reports. More..
UN working group found rights violations in case of air force cadet sentenced to life
A UN working group concluded that Turkey violated the rights of an air force cadet sentenced to life in prison following the 2016 coup attempt, citing arbitrary detention and the lack of fair trial safeguards. More..
Turkey continued arrests for terrorism based on scant evidence, minimal due process: US State Dept.
The US Department of State reported that Turkey continued to arrest individuals on terrorism charges with scant evidence and minimal adherence to due process, often targeting those accused of links to the Gülen movement. More..
US listed widespread human rights violations in Turkey in annual report
The US Department of State’s annual report highlighted widespread human rights violations in Turkey, including arbitrary detentions, politically motivated prosecutions, and crackdowns on freedom of expression. More..
PACE expressed concern about increase in torture allegations in Turkey
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voiced concern over an increase in torture allegations in Turkey, urging authorities to investigate and address credible reports of mistreatment in detention. More..
EU Turkey rapporteur slammed Turkey over terror charges against teen girls
The EU rapporteur on Turkey criticized Turkish authorities for bringing terror charges against teenage girls, calling the actions part of a broader crackdown on dissent under the pretense of anti-terrorism efforts. More..
New report examined systemic rights violations in ByLock prosecutions
A new report detailed systemic human rights violations in the prosecution of individuals accused of using the ByLock messaging app, which Turkish authorities claimed was linked to the Gülen movement. More..
Decisions by the European Court of Human Rights
ECtHR notified Turkey of 3,000 new applications over Gülen movement convictions
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) notified Turkey of a total of 3,000 applications in its docket for Gülen movement convictions over the use of the ByLock messaging app, following a landmark ruling that found use of the application to not constitute a reliable piece of evidence or a criminal offense. The ECtHR notified the Turkish government in three different batches in April, July and November.
Turkish court again convicted teacher of terrorism in defiance of landmark ECtHR ruling
A Turkish high criminal court in a retrial again convicted a teacher of terrorism due to alleged Gülen movement membership, despite a landmark ECtHR ruling in the teacher’s favor. More..
ECtHR faulted Turkey for arrest of 1,143 people over Gülen links after failed coup
The European rights court ruled in different cases that the pretrial detention of a total of 1,143 individuals after the coup attempt lacked grounds that could constitute reasonable suspicion. The first ruling was announced in June and the second and third in December.
ECtHR faulted Turkey for violating rights of top court member dismissed in 2016
The ECtHR found that Turkey violated the rights of Alparslan Altan, a former member of Turkey’s Constitutional Court, who was dismissed and arrested following the 2016 coup attempt. In a separate ruling, the court also faulted Turkey over the detention of 23 judges and prosecutors after the failed coup.
ECtHR faulted Turkey for violating rights of top judicial board member dismissed in 2014
The ECtHR ruled that Turkey violated the rights of Adem Kartal, the former vice president of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors’ (HSYK) inspection board, who was removed from his position following the adoption of a law in 2014 and was not reappointed. More..
European rights court faulted Turkey over arrest of UN judge in post-coup crackdown
The ECtHR faulted Turkey over the pretrial detention of a United Nations judge as part of a post-coup crackdown. More..
European rights court ordered Turkey to pay millions in damages to victims of post-coup purgeTheECtHR ordered Turkey to pay damages to 468 individuals, ruling that their detention in the aftermath of a failed coup in July 2016 was “unlawful” due to a lack of “reasonable suspicion.” More..
Ongoing purge
Turkey has investigated more than 700,000 people over Gülen links since failed coup: minister
Turkey has investigated more than 700,000 individuals for alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement since a failed coup in July 2016, a statement by Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç revealed. More…
Turkey detained over 8,000 people on Gülen links in 11 months: minister
Turkish authorities detained more than 8,153 individuals over alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement between June 2023 and May 15, 2024. Operations continued at full speed in the second half of 2024 as well, with 139 people detained in the first week of June.
459 detained over alleged Gülen links in large operation after Gülen’s death
In a significant escalation of an ongoing crackdown on individuals alleged to have links to the faith-based Gülen movement, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on November 19 announced the detention of 459 people across 66 provinces on terrorism accusations over alleged links to the movement. More..
14 teenagers detained over Gülen links revealed psychological abuse and rights violations in court
A group of 14 teenage girls who were detained and prosecuted on terrorism charges said they were subjected to psychological abuse and rights violations. More..
78-year-old mother of businessman sought over Gülen links begins prison sentence
Melek İpek, the 78-year-old mother of Turkish tycoon Akın İpek, currently living in exile, was detained in November to begin serving a prison sentence for conviction of alleged links to the Gülen movement. More..
Student detained for receiving money from relatives abroad, accused of ‘terrorist financing’
Esengül Arslan, a 23-year-old nursing student in Istanbul was detained for receiving funds sent by her relatives abroad, which authorities have labeled as “terrorism financing.” Arslan was later arrested More…
Turkish woman imprisoned for financially supporting family of husband’s fellow inmate
Emine Güven, a mother of two, was sentenced in June to four years in prison for sending money to the family of a man jailed in the same ward as her husband. More..
Erdoğan’s coup accusations against Gülen unfounded: former US national security advisor
Former US national security advisor John Bolton dismissed Turkish President Erdoğan’s claims that Fethullah Gülen masterminded the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, calling them propaganda aimed at consolidating his power. More…
Ex-spy chief reveals messaging data that served as grounds for mass arrests was obtained extralegally
Hakan Fidan, Turkey’s former intelligence chief and current foreign minister, revealed in an interview that controversial data from the ByLock messaging app used to prosecute thousands of alleged Gülen movement members was obtained through extrajudicial methods. More…
Gov’t, media colluded to frame Gülen movement as terrorist: pro-Erdoğan journalist
Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı, a close confidant of Turkish President Erdoğan and a journalist who describes himself as the president’s “spin-doctor,” revealed the government’s deliberate effort to label the faith-based Gülen movement as a terrorist organization before a failed coup in Turkey in 2016, acknowledging a coordinated media and political campaign to delegitimize the group. More..
Hate speech and discrimination
New report exposed systematic use of hate speech following Fethullah Gülen’s death to dehumanize his movement
The Stockholm Center for Freedom published a new report examining the surge of hate speech following the death of Fethullah Gülen on October 20, 2024. Taking a cue from President Erdoğan’s own inflammatory rhetoric, pro-government media relentlessly used hate speech dehumanizing and demonizing Gülen and his followers. Simultaneously, the government also initiated a spate of censorship to suppress moderate voices and promote anti-Gülen hate speech as the dominant public discourse.
Turkish media’s coverage diverged sharply from the measured and objective tone of Western outlets, which highlighted Gülen’s global influence and his advocacy for education and interfaith dialogue while also acknowledging unproven allegations against him. More..
EU-funded NGO report on hate speech in Turkey slammed for discriminating against Gülen movement
An NGO report on hate speech in Turkey that was prepared with funding from the European Union was widely criticized for ignoring the prevalent hate speech targeting the Gülen movement in the country. More..
Amnesty criticized for ignoring plight of Gülen movement members in new report
Amnesty International was criticized for overlooking systematic violations against people associated with Gülen movement, a faith-based group outlawed by Ankara, in its 2024 report on the global human rights situation. More..
Turkish pro-gov’t newspaper targeted Gülen-linked charity in Germany
Daily Sabah, an English-language daily managed by family members of Turkish President Erdoğan, targeted a Germany-based charity group, accusing it of “financing terrorism” due to its links to the Gülen movement. More..
Torture and inhuman treatment
Turkish MP submitted parliamentary inquiry over allegations that 12 women became pregnant from rape while in custody
A Turkish MP submitted a parliamentary inquiry in September, regarding allegations that 12 women accused of membership in the Gülen movement became pregnant as a result of rape while in custody, citing a report by the Finnish Immigration Service. More..
Electric shocks, mock execution: Woman detained over Gülen links recounts torture by police
A woman detained for managing a dormitory affiliated with the Gülen movement described in an interview with the Kronos news website the torture she endured during her detention in the counterterrorism department of Turkey’s western Afyon province. More..
New trial ordered in high-profile torture case following Constitutional Court ruling
The Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in July ordered a new trial in the case of Eyüp Birinci, a former teacher who endured severe torture in police custody resulting in critical injuries. Birinci fainted from the torture during his detention and was taken to a hospital where it was determined that he was experiencing internal bleeding. According to his family, Birinci’s colon was ruptured from torture inflicted with a police baton.
Birinci’s wife Asuman was arrested over Gülen links in May, adding to the family’s persecution. More..
Children of the purge: death, disease and separation
Boy’s health worsened after mother’s arrest a year earlier
The health of a 9-year-old autistic child deteriorated due to the fact that both his parents were in prison over their alleged membership in the Gülen movement. More..
Opposition MP highlighted plight of quintuplets with parents jailed on Gülen links
Mustafa Yeneroğlu, an opposition lawmaker, wrote a column in February, drawing attention to the predicament of children whose parents were sent to jail in October on charges of links to the faith-based Gülen movement, leaving them to stay in a tent with relatives whose house was destroyed in earthquakes that struck Turkey in 2023. More..
Mother revealed the effects of government’s post-coup purge on her family
A Turkish mother revealed on a YouTube channel that her child did not recognize his father, who had been jailed for alleged links to the Gülen movement, upon his release. More..
Children aged 4 and 7 left to care of relatives after both parents sent to prison over alleged Gülen links
Güler Çetinkaya was arrested in February over alleged links to the Gülen movement. Her two children were left to the care of relatives since her husband has also been behind bars for four years on conviction of a similar offense. More..
Activists emphasized plight of children affected by Turkey’s politically motivated trials
Activists campaigned to highlight the dire consequences of politically motivated trials in Turkey, emphasizing the severe impact on children’s mental and physical health.
Examples include Elif Sinem, a girl with Down syndrome, whose parents have been jailed over alleged Gülen links and Tarık Ekmekçi, a 9-year-old autistic boy, whose parents have been incarcerated since 2017 over alleged links to the Gülen movement. More..
20-year-old son of purge victims died by suicide
Onur Selim Y., a 20-year-old university student, died by hanging himself from a pipe in January. His father, a biology teacher, spent 11 months in pretrial detention and has been sentenced to more than six years in prison on charges of links to the Gülen movement. His mother was dismissed from her job with the education ministry on similar grounds over labor union membership. More..
Arrest of pregnant women and mothers with infants
706 children accompanying mothers in Turkish prisons: justice minister
Turkish Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that 706 children were living with their mothers in Turkish prisons as of October. More..
Former teacher jailed over Gülen links with baby
Mine Işıktaş, a former teacher who was sentenced to more than six years in prison over links to the faith-based Gülen movement based on her alleged use of the ByLock messaging application, was arrested in July, to serve her sentence accompanied by her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. More..
20-month-old toddler accompanying mother in Turkish prison
Hatice Kaya, a former academic was sent to prison along with her 20-month-old daughter to serve a six-year sentence for alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement in August. More..
Former teacher jailed with infant over Gülen movement links
Emine Güçlüer, a former teacher previously sentenced to more than six years for her alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement, was arrested and sent to prison accompanied by her 1-year-old daughter in September. More..
Turkish court sent former teacher to prison with baby for links to Gülen movement
Sema Gökkan, a former teacher, was sentenced to over six years for alleged links to the Gülen movement and sent to prison on November 30, accompanied by her 4-month-old infant. More..
Former teacher jailed over Gülen links with premature baby
Ayşe Ercengiz, a former primary school teacher dismissed by a government decree in the aftermath of the 2016 coup attempt, was arrested and jailed on June 24 over alleged links to the Gülen movement, accompanied by her 20-month-old daughter, Ela, who was premature and continued to require medical care and breastfeeding. More..
Pregnant woman arrested for alleged links to Gülen movement
A seven-months-pregnant woman was arrested and put in pretrial detention on February 20 for alleged links to the Gülen movement. More..
Plight of ailing inmates
Paralyzed inmate waited a year for presidential pardon amid health concerns
Şerife Sulukan, a woman suffering from paralysis and epilepsy who is jailed for links to the Gülen movement, had been awaiting a presidential decision on her release for over a year as of May after medical authorities found her unfit to remain in prison. More..
Engineer jailed over Gülen links suffered brain hemorrhage but unable to get necessary care
Mehmet Beyret, a 35-year-old computer engineer who was arrested pending trial in southwestern Turkey over alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement, suffered a brain hemorrhage while in prison, requiring specialized treatment that is unavailable in the city where the prison facility is located. More..
Calls for release intensified as ailing Turkish inmate faces urgent surgery
Activists called on Turkish authorities to release Rukiye Çoygar, an ailing prisoner who is suffering from a fissure in her intestines and requires immediate surgery. More..
Ailing inmate with cancer kept in prison despite critical condition
Mustafa Aytaç, an inmate in a prison in the western Turkish province of Afyon, remained incarcerated despite suffering from cancer and a medical report indicating a high probability of death. More..
Inmate denied release from Turkish prison despite suffering from MS
An inmate in İstanbul’s Metris Prison who was previously a high-ranking officer in the Turkish military was denied suspension of his sentence despite suffering from advanced multiple sclerosis. More..
Activists called for release of ailing 76-year-old inmate
Activists called on Turkish authorities to release Ahmet Öztürk, an inmate who is suffering from deteriorating health. He was arrested and sent to prison in December 2023 to serve a more than six-year sentence on conviction of links to the Gülen movement. More..
Elderly Turkish man went blind in one eye in prison; family alleged neglect
Abdullah Aydoğan, an 82-year-old Turkish man imprisoned for alleged links to the Gülen movement, was released on parole after losing sight in his right eye during his incarceration. More..
Teacher suffering from vision loss and heart disease jailed on Gülen links
Family members and human rights activists have campaigned on social media for the release of Mustafa Seçkin, a history teacher jailed on accusations of links to the Gülen movement who is suffering from almost total vision loss as well as cardiac disease and hypertension. More..
Inmate suffering from cancer returned to prison after major surgery
Gülden Aşık, a woman jailed on conviction of links to the Gülen movement who recently underwent surgery for thyroid cancer, returned to prison a few days after her release from intensive care. More..
Activists called for release of ailing 84-year-old inmate
Social media users called on Turkish authorities to release Halil Karakoç, an ailing prisoner who has been kept behind bars even after suffering a heart attack in his cell. More..
Inmate with cancer awaited presidential pardon for 8 months
Yusuf Özmen, an ailing cancer patient who is serving a sentence on conviction of alleged links to the Gülen movement, had been awaiting a presidential decision on his release for eight months as of May after medical authorities found him unfit to remain in prison. More..
Social media campaigns urged release of ailing inmates
Social media users called on Turkish authorities to release Ali Odabaşı, the former legal counsel for the now-closed Zaman daily, who has been denied parole despite suffering from serious health issues.
Activists also called on the authorities to release Yazgül Dural, an inmate suffering from a neurological disorder whose health has deteriorated due to alleged negligence by the prison administration.
Prisoners not released by parole boards for political reasons
Prison administration denies former police officer convicted of Gülen links parole
Nilay Dağ, a former police officer imprisoned for links to the Gülen movement, was denied parole despite being eligible for the previous five months. More..
Purge victim suffering from celiac disease denied parole despite eligibility
Muharrem Gelen, a healthcare worker removed from public service and incarcerated in Ankara as part of the post-coup purge, was denied parole despite his eligibility and his celiac disease. More..
Prison administration denied parole for former teacher convicted of Gülen links
Ahmet Ergül, 65, a former teacher imprisoned over Gülen links was denied parole despite being eligible for the previous six months. More..
Ailing inmate denied parole despite eligibility
Turgay Doğan, an ailing inmate at a prison in Ankara, remained incarcerated despite fulfilling parole requirements including completing the minimum required portion of his sentence and being recognized for good behavior. More..
Former teacher arrested over alleged Gülen links denied conditional release despite eligibility
A Turkish court denied conditional release to a former teacher imprisoned for alleged links to the Gülen movement, citing a lack of “concrete evidence” of disassociation from the group. More..
Property Rights
Koza-İpek Holding, affiliates seized over Gülen links transferred to sovereign wealth fund
Twelve companies, including Koza-İpek Holding, its affiliates and a luxury residence belonging to the İpek family seized by the Turkish government in 2015 over their links to the Gülen movement, were transferred to the Turkey Wealth Fund (TVF) in December. More..
Turkish gov’t to sell mansions seized from Gülen-linked businessman for at least $23 mln
Turkey’s state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) will sell two mansions owned by Akın İpek, a businessman currently living in exile in the UK whose assets in Turkey were seized in 2016 over his alleged links to the Gülen movement. More..
Boydak Holding executive convicted of Gülen links detained in İstanbul
Bekir Boydak, an executive from the Kayseri-based Boydak Holding, was detained in March to serve a sentence handed down on terrorism-related charges due to his links to the faith-based Gülen movement. The Turkish government in August 2016 seized Boydak Holding, which was among Turkey’s largest industrial groups. More..
Deaths of purge victims
Tevfik Birecik, a 49-year-old former police chief who was not released from prison until his colon cancer had spread to other parts of his body, died on May 4.
Yusuf Güner Aksay, a 41-year-old former teacher who was dismissed from his job by a government decree as part of the post-coup purge, died of brain cancer on May 25.
Ömer Turanlı, a 54-year-old human rights lawyer who fled persecution in Turkey and has been living in exile, died on July 5 in a London hospital after battling cancer.
Ahmet Zeki Özkan, a 67-year-old architect who was arrested despite his end-stage cancer, died on July 15.
Hatice Kahraman, a 40-year-old former teacher who was dismissed from her job by a government decree as part of the post-coup purge, died of a brain hemorrhage on July 17.
Özden Kıvançlı, 46, a social studies teacher dismissed and never reinstated despite being acquitted in court, died in a traffic accident on September 14.
Fahrettin İşgüder, a 73-year-old businessman who was sentenced to over six years in prison for alleged links to the Gülen movement, died on July 22.
Adil Somalı, a 55-year-old businessman sentenced to over six years in prison for alleged links to the Gülen movement, died on July 20, after his parole was delayed.
Hüseyin Geçmek, a construction technician previously imprisoned on conviction of links to the Gülen movement, died on January 5 of pancreatic cancer, which had begun and spread during his incarceration.
Osman Hacısalihoğlu, a former police officer who was dismissed by a government decree and subsequently served a prison sentence for alleged Gülen links, died of cancer in January.
Hamza Erdoğan, a former police officer who was dismissed by a government decree over his alleged links to the Gülen movement, died of brain cancer in March.
Betül Aygün, a 30-year-old former teacher, died of breast cancer in February after her treatment was significantly delayed by a prison administration during her incarceration on alleged links to the Gülen movement.
Memiş Enes Gümüş, a 54-year-old former judge who was dismissed by a government decree, was killed in a cable car accident in southern Turkey on April 12.
Salaheddin Akçay, a cardiologist who was dismissed from his job by a government decree as part of Turkey’s post-coup purge of state institutions, died of a heart attack, just hours after crossing the Evros River into Greece on April 17.
Mürüvvet Tunç, a former teacher dismissed from her job by a government decree, died of a rare and life-threatening blood disorder on April 23.
Cemal Altıparmakoğlu, a 48-year-old primary school teacher dismissed under a government decree, died on November 29 after a delayed release from prison despite his doctor’s warnings.
Mehmet Ali Namlı, 55, a former teacher, who had been fired from his position by government decree, died on November 21 following a workplace accident.
Mahmut Başyiğit, 54, a former Turkish police officer, died on November 4 after a prolonged battle with advanced gallbladder cancer following a delay in the granting of a temporary release from prison due to his illness.
Adem Cirit, an 88-year-old inmate convicted of alleged links to the Gülen movement, died in prison on October 23 despite appeals for his release due to his worsening health.
Lütfü Gündoğdu, a 71-year-old former public servant who was dismissed from his job and detained in the aftermath of the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, died of colon cancer on August 20.
Ece Nur Esen, a 16-year-old girl whose parents were fired from their jobs by a decree after the failed coup, died of a heart attack on April 13.
Suicides
Recep Aydın, a former officer in the Turkish navy dismissed from the service by a government decree, died by suicide in the southern province of Adana on July 20.
Oğuz Doğan, a former police officer dismissed from his job over alleged links to Gülen movement, took his own life in the northern province of Samsun on October 28.
Gökhan Ünyeli, an officer in the Turkish military who had been under investigation for alleged links to the Gülen movement and was suspended from the service, died by suicide in Ankara on March 28.
Onur Selim Y., a 20-year-old university student, died by hanging himself from a pipe in January. His father, a biology teacher, spent 11 months in pretrial detention and was sentenced to more than six years in prison on charges of links to the Gülen movement. His mother was dismissed from her job with the education ministry on similar grounds over labor union membership.