Cleric Gulen denounces Turkish arrest warrant over failed coup

Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric, has condemned Turkey's judicial system after a court issued an arrest warrant accusing him of ordering last month's bid to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Gulen in a statement yesterday said the Turkish court system is without judicial independence.

"It is well-documented that the Turkish court system is without judicial independence, so this warrant is yet another example of President Erdogan's drive for authoritarianism and away from democracy," the Dawn quoted his statement as saying.

The arrest warrant issued by the court today, accuses Gulen of ordering the July 15 coup.

Gulen strongly denied any involvement in the attempted coup.

"The issuance of an arrest warrant from a Turkish court changes nothing about my status or my views.. I have repeatedly condemned the coup attempt in Turkey and denied any knowledge or involvement," he added.