Fethullah Gülen lawsuit [in the US] thrown out in setback for Turkey’s Erdoğan
Date posted: June 29, 2016
US judge dismisses civil case funded by the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against prominent critic who is based in Pennsylvania.
A US judge has dismissed a human rights lawsuit against Fethullah Gülen, a US-based Turkish cleric who is a former ally turned prominent critic of his home country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The lawsuit, funded by Turkey, had claimed the Muslim cleric in Pennsylvania orchestrated human rights abuses in his native Turkey.
Gulen’s attorneys had called the suit “pure political theatre” and an attempt by Erdoğan to silence Gülen, who has criticised the Turkish leader.
The suit contended that Gülen ordered sympathetic police, prosecutors and judges in Turkey to target members of a rival spiritual movement critical of his teachings.
US District Judge Robert Mariani in Scranton dismissed the suit on Wednesday.
A spokesman for Gülen’s defence said the “US justice system worked as it should.”
The plaintiffs’ attorney had no immediate response.
EKREM DUMANLI Mr. Fethullah Gülen, a well-respected Turkish Islamic scholar, has made a very important statement. He says when we consider that people are endowed with rights and freedoms indiscriminately by God, we understand that no one has the right to introduce prohibitions against certain groups. This principle should be applied to the Kurdish issue. Mr. […]
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ORHAN MİROĞLU The Hizmet movement also wants peace. And peace is of course desired by the movement’s leader, Fethullah Gülen, who has worked for so many years to see the brotherhood between Turks and Kurds improved. Words of sincerity and courage spoken by Gülen should stand as examples for the leaders of our political parties. […]
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