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Large-scale reshuffle expected in Turkey’s state structures

Türkiye Materials 26 January 2015 18:04 (UTC +04:00)
A large-scale reshuffle is expected in Turkey’s state structures as part of fighting Fethullah Gulen’s movement.
Large-scale reshuffle expected in Turkey’s state structures

Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan.26

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

A large-scale reshuffle is expected in Turkey's state structures as part of fighting Fethullah Gulen's movement, Turkish Sabah newspaper reported on Jan.26.

It is expected that almost all heads of Turkey's state structures will be dismissed.

Fethullah Gulen [Islamic public figure currently residing in the US] is the founder of the Hizmet public movement, as well as, the Turkish Journalists and Writers Foundation. He has been accused of being involved in a huge wiretapping scandal by the Turkish government.

The wiretapping scandal occurred in Turkey when Turkish media reported on Feb. 25, 2014 that in 2011 telephone conversations of about 7,000 people associated with the representatives of both the ruling and opposition parties, including family members of the prime minister were wiretapped, as part of the anti-terrorist operation carried out by the Istanbul prosecutor's office against 'Salam' terrorist organization.

During the anti-terrorist operations, telephone conversations of the head Turkish intelligence, Hakan Fidan were wiretapped as well. Turkish then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Gulen of standing behind the wiretapping of the phone conversations.

Erdogan also stressed that Gulen's movement (which he earlier called as a 'parallel structure') with its anti-state activities proved that it is not a religious movement, but a politicized and illegal structure.

He called on Fethullah Gulen not to intervene in Turkey's internal affairs and accused the US of supporting him. A criminal case has been initiated in Turkey against Gulen for his coup attempt and espionage against the country.

Erdogan also previously said that Gulen will be extradited from the US. However, the US authorities said that his extradition is inadmissible.

Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Ankara will make every effort to achieve Gulen's extradition.

Turkish police periodically holds operations on detaining Gulen's supporters. Some 19 people were detained in the country as a result of the raids on Jan.20.

Edited by CN

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu

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