Turkey reiterates demand for Fethullah Gulen's extradition

Speaking to reporters at the Turkish embassy residence, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said given international conventions and agreements the US and Turkey have signed, some steps should have been taken by now, reports Anadolu Agency.

“It is not possible for us to accept that there is still not any progress on this issue,” he said.

Gulen and his supporters, allegedly, orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Turkey which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Fethullah Gulen has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999. Ankara has requested Gulen’s extradition from the US several times.

Ankara also accuses cleric Fethullah Gulen‘s network of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, including the military, police and the judiciary.

READ: Turkey orders arrest of 100 soldiers over suspected Gulen links

The minister said more evidence on Gulen was submitted to the relevant authorities.”We want the extradition to take place and the demands of Turkish judicial authorities to be fulfilled.”

Turkey is closely monitoring the process, he said. Earlier, Gul met with US Attorney General William Barr, saying the two men had a “productive” meeting and congratulated his American counterpart on his new post. The meeting tackled boosting judicial cooperation between the two countries, he said on Twitter.

He told reporters that he hoped the meeting will “yield good results”.