Gülenist EIC’s visit to opposition parties sparks questions

The Gülen Movement's alleged ties with opposition parties have reemerged following the editor-in-chief of the Zaman daily, Ekrem Dumanlı's recent visits to Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Great Union Party (BBP) leader Mustafa Destici and Mustafa Kamalak, the leader of the Felicity Party (SP), in Ankara.

While Dumanlı has said that his visit was a gesture to thank opposition leaders for their support during his detention as part of the Tahşiye operation, some circles have questioned the move and claimed it could signal a new alliance between opposition parties which were alleged to have been supported by the Gülen Movement against the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) prior to the 2015 general elections. Dumanlı served as a strong supporter of opposition parties during the 2014 local and presidential elections campaigns.

It was reported that Dumanlı did not visit Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli.

Dumanlı was detained as part of the Dec. 14 Tahşiye operation when an Istanbul prosecutor issued detention warrants for 31 people accused of establishing an illegal organization with a hierarchical structure separate from the state apparatus that allegedly aimed to take control of significant positions that govern Turkey's social, economic, military and administrative mechanisms.

An arrest warrant was also issued for Fethullah Gülen, the leader of the Gülen Movement, for allegedly guiding, directing, publishing and broadcasting the policies of the Gülen Movement-affiliated Samanyolu TV channel and Zaman daily.

Despite his claims of supporting freedom of the press and expression, Dumanlı was involved in a controversial incident in November when his entourage slapped and battered a reporter from the Yeni Akit daily for asking Dumanlı a question during a book fair. The violent action was recorded and published on social media platforms and was protested by journalists, citizens and various representatives of nongovernmental organizations.

No journalists were arrested in the Tahşiye case, although media outlets affiliated with the Gülen Movement have claimed that the operation was aimed at suppressing press freedom in Turkey, disregarding that those detained were charged with fabricating evidence to spread disinformation about the Tahşiye group. Tahşiye group members and leaders faced imprisonment following a TV series and a number of articles published on media outlets affiliated with the movement depicting them as a terrorist organization.

The alleged alliance between the Gülen Movement and the CHP became problematic after the presidential election when the CHP and MHP nominated Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu as a joint candidate, which was allegedly supported by the Gülen Movement. Tensions rose as more deputies criticized the cooperation and CHP Deputy Birgül Ayman Güler was referred to the party disciplinary committee following her claims that the CHP and Gülen Movement cooperated during the elections.

The Gülen Movement is officially seen as a national threat to the Turkish state by the government, as it is accused of wiretapping thousands of individuals, including senior government officials, top-level state meetings and allegedly infiltrating state institutions with the aim of overthrowing the government.