US Should Refuse Turkish Request to Extradite Gulen Over Coup Attempt

The United States should reject Ankara’s demand to extradite Muslim cleric Muhammed Fethullah Gulen, a US permanent resident, to Turkey following a failed military coup last week, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats, Dana Rohrabacher said in a statement on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said earlier in the day that Ankara has submitted an official request to Washington for the extradition of Gulen, whom Turkish officials including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have accused of orchestrating the failed coup attempt.

"The last thing we should be doing is giving credence to his [Erdogan’s] demand for the extradition of this peaceful Muslim leader or give any encouragement to his heavy-handed consolidation of power in Turkey," Rohrabacher stated. 

The California lawmaker accused Erdogan of using the coup attempt to launch a crackdown on his political opponents, further limit press freedoms in the country and consolidate power.

The Turkish government said it had already arrested more than 6,000 people accused of participating in the failed coup on Friday night.

Turkey's crackdown on journalists and restrictions on freedom of speech have been condemned by the international community, including the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia.

Late on Friday, the Turkish authorities said that an attempted coup was taking place in the country. The coup attempt was suppressed by early Saturday.

Turkish authorities have already sacked thousands of people across the country, including members of the armed forces, governors, military advisers, prosecutors, intelligence officers and judges.