Issuance of Arrest Warrants for Over a Thousand People in Turkey Related to Gulen

Turkey's state news agency reported that on Tuesday, February 12, the country's prosecutor's office began one of its largest operations against the network linked to Fethullah Gulen by issuing arrest warrants for 1,112 individuals. Mr. Gulen, a cleric residing in the United States, has been accused by the Turkish government of orchestrating the failed coup in the summer of 2016. According to Reuters, this operation, which relates to cheating on the police entrance exams, indicates that the current Turkish government has not ceased its pursuit and repression of individuals connected to or suspected of ties to this network two and a half years after the coup. Over 250 people were killed in the events related to the failed coup. Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of Recep Tayyip Erdogan who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, has denied involvement in the incident. The state-run Anadolu Agency reported that Tuesday's operation pertains to the 2010 exam for the deputy investigative rank in the police department and allegations of a group of participants receiving answers before the exam. The agency added that during this operation, which was initiated by the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office, 124 suspects have been arrested in 76 regions across Turkey so far. It is unclear how many of those arrested are currently police officers. Suleyman Soylu, Turkey's Interior Minister, stated on Sunday that a large-scale operation against supporters of Fethullah Gulen will soon be executed. He added, 'The devils will not be able to deceive us as they did before. We will put an end to their work.' The current Turkish government claims that Gulen's network has infiltrated various government institutions, including security forces, the judiciary, and various ministries, through cheating on entrance exams over the decades, creating a 'parallel government.' Reuters adds that since the coup, the Turkish government has conducted a widespread and ongoing purge in public offices and institutions while the Turkish prosecutor's office has also initiated and continued extensive investigations against individuals suspected of ties to Gulen. Turkey's Western allies have criticized this crackdown and extensive purges, which have essentially been carried out under the emergency regulations that were implemented after the coup and continued until last July. Critics accuse Recep Tayyip Erdogan of using the failed coup as a pretext to suppress his government’s opponents. However, the Turkish government claims that these actions are necessary for national security. During this period, over 77,000 people have been arrested and are still awaiting trial, with widespread detentions continuing. Simultaneously, more than 150,000 personnel from the armed forces, police, judiciary, and other government departments have been dismissed or suspended. Hulusi Akar, Turkey's Defense Minister and former Chief of General Staff, stated that since the coup, over 15,000 members of the armed forces, including 150 generals and admirals, have been dismissed.