Turkey expects US to reconsider position on Gulen

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey expects the U.S. to rethink its position on Fetullah Gulen after witnessing the participation of millions of people at pro-democracy rallies, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said in Ankara on Monday.

Turkish government has accused the U.S.-based preacher of being the mastermind of the July 15 coup bid that left 240 martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Speaking at a press conference in the parliament following a Cabinet meeting, Kurtulmus said: “I think the U.S. officials will now hesitate in hiding, providing protection and guarding Gulen there [in the U.S.] after witnessing this rally.

"We have no doubt the U.S. administrators will revise their position on this person in Pennsylvania after [Turkish] people clearly revealed their views [about Gulen] at rallies [across Turkey]…According to security figures, around 25 million people attended the 'democracy watch' rallies across the country so far."

The deputy premier also said the ban on annual leaves of public employees declared amid the three-month state of emergency in the country had been now lifted.

Turkey's government has repeatedly said the coup attempt was organized by followers of Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania since 1999, and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Gulen is accused of leading a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.