Turkey Revokes Fethullah Gulen’s Passport

In another example of rising authoritarianism in Turkey, the government under Recep Tayyip Erdogan has revoked the passport of Fethullah Gulen, who is the leader of he Hizmet movement in Turkey. Erdogan’s argument for doing is that Gulen and Hizmet are looking to set up a “parallel state” in the country, a move that he believes threatens the government. 

In response to this, Gulen dismissed these allegations, and also stated that Turkey was moving “toward totalitarianism”. According to reports, “CNN Turk said on its website that Turkey had informed U.S. officials on January 28 that it was revoking Gulen’s passport because it was issued based on a “false statement”. Gulen has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999″ (in Hogg, 2015). 

These actions are further attempts at Erodgan to silence anyone who may be seen as a threat to his influence in Turkey. He has went after journalists, and now he continues to go after Gulen and others associated with him and the Hizmet movement. In fact, he has arrested individuals working in various capacities in the state who he believes have sympathies towards Gulen and Hizmet. 

However, according to reports, “The move could bring Ankara a step closer to issuing a formal extradition request for Gulen. Washington is expected to reject such a demand, further fraying bilateral ties already strained over regional policy and U.S. concerns over what some see as Erdogan’s increasing authoritarianism.

Erdogan has already called for Gulen to be deported. In December a court issued an arrest warrant for the cleric, who had been a close ally of Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted party for many years after it came to power in 2002.”

The United States should strongly condemn these actions against Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan is merely trying to increase his hold on power by going after Gulen and any backers of him (whether they are in the media or in government. The government in Turkey must stop its harassment of individuals that they see as a political threat to their power.