WASHINGTON – Popular Turkish religious leader Fethullah Gülen passed away in the United States on Monday.
He was 83.
Gülen had been living in self-imposed exile in the U.S. since 1999.
Who Was Fethullah Gülen?
Fethullah Gülen was the founder of a moderate Islamic movement known as the “Hizmet” or “Service” movement, which provides services in various sectors of life. He also established a network of schools in over 100 countries, including Turkey, to spread his ideology.
Role of Gülen movement in Turkey’s military coup
In 2016, Fethullah Gülen was accused by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of orchestrating a coup against him. Following the failed coup, his organization was banned, and thousands associated with it were arrested in Turkey.
Gülen later denied the allegations, saying that they had faced military coups multiple times over five decades and that accusing those who oppose military coups was insulting.
