Washington: US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen has condemned Turkey's judicial system after a court issued an arrest warrant that accuses him of ordering last month's bid to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
"It is well-documented that the Turkish court system is without judicial independence, so this warrant is yet another example of President Erdogan's drive for authoritarianism and away from democracy," he said in a statement late on Thursday.
The arrest warrant, issued earlier in the day, accuses Gulen of "ordering the July 15 coup," the Anadolu news agency reported.
Gulen strongly denies any involvement in the attempted putsch and the movement he leads insists it is a charitable network promoting tolerant Islam.
"The issuance of an arrest warrant from a Turkish court changes nothing about my status or my views," Gulen said.
"I have repeatedly condemned the coup attempt in Turkey and denied any knowledge or involvement."
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"It is well-documented that the Turkish court system is without judicial independence, so this warrant is yet another example of President Erdogan's drive for authoritarianism and away from democracy," he said in a statement late on Thursday.
The arrest warrant, issued earlier in the day, accuses Gulen of "ordering the July 15 coup," the Anadolu news agency reported.
"The issuance of an arrest warrant from a Turkish court changes nothing about my status or my views," Gulen said.
Advertisement
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Turkey Forcibly 'Repatriates' Nephew Of President Erdogan's Enemy: Report Turkey Sacks 18,500 Employees Including Soldiers, Policemen In New Decree Turkey Sentences 40 To Life For Plotting To Kill President Erdogan The 'Fake' CrowdStrike Worker Who Crippled Windows Users Worldwide On Sonu Sood's Post About Kanwar Yatra Order, Kangana Ranaut's Rejoinder 14 Indians Rescued From 'Cyber-Slavery' In Cambodia Wait To Return Home Kerala Health Minister Convenes High-Level Meet Over Suspected Nipah Virus Economic Survey To Be Tabled In Parliament On Monday, A Day Before Budget Mahindra Thar 5-Door Revealed; Named Thar Roxx Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.