Davutoglu’s Phobias of Gulen

• 04.27.2015, 10:00
•  Region

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu  accused a Turkish court of having conspiracy  with U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen. The accusation came after a Turkish court decided to release 75 policemen and a media manager who were accused of planning to overthrow the government and to have connection with Fethullah Gulen, Hurriyet Daily reports.

"They have taken instructions from Pennsylvania [where Gulen is based] a week ago; we have the [voice] recordings. An instruction similar to: ‘Release them from the jail.’ We have defended the complete independence of the judiciary against those who have attempted to manage the judiciary. Some misunderstood us," Davutoglu told a rally in the Black Sea province of Gümüşhane on April 26 as part of his ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) election campaign. 

In addition Davutoglu labeled the ruling of the 32th Criminal Court of First Instance, which accepted the defendants’ request for a recusal and ordered their release on April 25, a "coup against the judiciary". On the occasion he particularly noted:

"Yesterday, they attempted to make a coup against the judiciary. A court which does not have the authority breaks the law and rules the release of the inmates. You don’t have the authority, you violate the laws. Do you know why it is doing this? They want to say this:"‘We, the parallel, are here and we are still strong." I am calling on them from Gümüşhane. We are here as the state and the people. We will not leave this arena to Pennsylvania."