Turkish prosecutors have investigated a total of 562,581 people while courts have arrested 91,610 individuals on allegations of terrorism due to their alleged links to the Gülen movement since a failed coup in July 2016, according to an opposition party deputy chairman.
The figures were made public by Feti Yıldız, deputy chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), an ally of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The Turkish government accuses the Gülen movement of masterminding the failed coup on July 15, 2016 and labels it a “terrorist organization,” although the movement strongly denies involvement in the coup attempt or any terrorist activity.
Following the coup attempt, the Turkish government launched a massive crackdown on followers of the movement under the pretext of an anti-coup fight as a result of which more than 150,000 people were removed from state jobs.
According to the figures given by Yıldız, out of the 562,581 people who have been investigated, 263,553 have been detained and 91,610 have been arrested. There are currently 27,034 people in Turkey’s prisons who were arrested as part of investigations into followers of the Gülen movement.
