Turkey Arrests 67 in Latest Crackdown on Gülen Movement

Nationwide Operations Lead to Dozens of Arrests

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Friday, November 7, 2025, that 67 people have been arrested following nationwide operations targeting the faith-based Gülen movement. The arrests stem from a total of 178 individuals detained over the past two weeks. These operations were conducted across 45 provinces, including major cities such as İstanbul, Ankara, and İzmir.

According to Minister Yerlikaya's statement, those apprehended were accused of various activities, including involvement in the movement's 'current structure,' contacting members via pay phones, and using ByLock, an encrypted messaging application. Some suspects were also alleged to be active in the movement's financial, student, and military 'mahrem' (secretive) structures.

Background of the Gülen Movement and Government Accusations

The Gülen movement, also known as Hizmet, is a faith-based group inspired by the late Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen, who resided in self-imposed exile in the United States until his death in October 2024. The movement originated in Turkey in the late 1960s and has been recognized for its contributions to education, social welfare, and interfaith dialogue globally.

However, the Turkish government accuses the Gülen movement of orchestrating the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016. In response, the government designated the group as a 'terrorist organization,' referring to it as the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), in May 2016. The Gülen movement consistently denies any involvement in the coup attempt or any terrorist activities.

Controversial Investigation Methods

The ongoing crackdown frequently utilizes specific methods of investigation that have drawn scrutiny. Accusations often involve the use of ByLock, which Turkish authorities claim is a secret communication tool for Gülen movement supporters. Critics, however, argue that no concrete evidence has been presented to link ByLock messages directly to the 2016 coup attempt.

Another contentious method is the 'payphone investigations,' which rely solely on call records. Prosecutors allege that members of the movement used the same public payphones consecutively to contact one another. Under this theory, individuals are presumed guilty by association if their call records coincide with those of other alleged members, even without evidence of call content.

Ongoing Crackdown and its Impact

These recent arrests are part of a broader, long-running crackdown that has been in effect since the 2016 coup attempt. Since 2016, hundreds of thousands of individuals have been investigated, with tens of thousands imprisoned. Official figures indicate that over 126,000 people have been convicted for alleged links to the movement. As of July 2024, more than 705,000 people had been investigated, and 13,251 individuals remained in prison in Gülen-linked trials. The crackdown has also led to the dismissal of public servants, cancellation of passports, and closure of various institutions.