Turkish authorities have detained 353 individuals over alleged ties to the faith-based Gülen movement, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Friday via X. The large-scale operation is part of the Turkish government’s ongoing crackdown on suspected members of the movement, which has been the target of systematic purges since 2013.
Nationwide Raids Across 31 Provinces
According to Yerlikaya, the arrests took place during synchronized police raids conducted on Thursday in 31 provinces, including major cities such as Antalya, Ankara, Bursa, and Istanbul. Among those detained were 10 civil servants, further highlighting the government’s continued scrutiny of state institutions for alleged infiltration by the Gülen movement.
Yerlikaya emphasized that the detainees were apprehended as part of coordinated efforts led by Turkish intelligence and security forces to dismantle networks linked to the group. The minister also praised law enforcement for their swift action, reaffirming the government’s commitment to combating what it considers a national security threat.
Erdoğan’s Longstanding Crackdown on the Gülen Movement
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been targeting the Gülen movement—founded by the late Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen—since 2013, following corruption probes that implicated Erdoğan, then Turkey’s prime minister, along with members of his family and close associates. Erdoğan dismissed the investigations as a Gülenist-led coup attempt against his government, labeling the movement a terrorist organization and initiating a massive crackdown on its followers.
The repression intensified after the failed coup attempt in 2016, which Erdoğan blamed on Gülen and his supporters. In response, Turkish authorities launched the country’s largest-ever purge, dismissing thousands from public institutions, the judiciary, the military, and academia while detaining tens of thousands more. Gülen and his followers deny any involvement in the coup or terrorist activities, arguing that the movement has been unfairly targeted for political reasons.
Allegations of Financial Support Through Maydonoz Döner
In the latest wave of arrests, authorities have accused the suspects of financing the Gülen movement through Maydonoz Döner, a chain of döner restaurants. Yerlikaya alleged that the restaurant franchise served as a financial conduit for the movement by offering unofficial partnerships to individuals affiliated with the group and using its locations as secret meeting points.
The accusations against Maydonoz Döner mark yet another instance of Turkish authorities linking businesses to alleged Gülenist financing networks. The franchise, which operates branches across Turkey and several European countries, has yet to respond to the allegations.
Ongoing Prosecutions and Widespread Repression
Since the staged 2016 coup attempt, at least 705,172 individuals have been investigated on terrorism or coup-related charges due to alleged links to the Gülen movement. As of now, at least 13,251 people remain in prison, either in pretrial detention or serving sentences following convictions in Gülen-related cases.
The Turkish government continues to enforce its crackdown through mass arrests, asset seizures, and travel bans, leading to widespread concerns over human rights violations and judicial independence. International human rights organizations and European institutions have repeatedly criticized Turkey’s handling of Gülen-related cases, arguing that the judicial process lacks transparency and that many of those detained are being prosecuted solely for their association with the movement, rather than for actual criminal activities.
