"The Turkish mass media cannot be expected to take over the role as they are politically under the control of the government now," Aslandogan said in a press statement released on Thursday.
The statement is Turkish charismatic ulema Gulens response to questions raised by Indonesian journalists at an interview conducted on Aug. 22 in Pennsylvania, the United States.
"The public and mass media in Turkey cannot criticize the government. That is why Indonesia and other countries can help call on the Turkish government to fulfill its agreements with international organizations, including the European Union, with regard to human rights," Aslandogan noted.
"Turkish people have already suffered from a series of events. If such a condition remains unchanged, no other government in the world will last longer," remarked Aslandogan, who is also executive director of Alliance for Shared Values, an organization engaged in education, culture, economy, health, and humanity in the United States.
With regard to the likelihood of reconciliation between the Fethullah Gulen group and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Gulens other spokesman, Osman Oztoptrak, said there is no reason for Gulen to reconcile with Erdogan as the former has committed no mistakes, particularly with regard to the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016.
"The Turkish government cannot prove that Fethullah Gulen has been involved in the incident. With respect to Erdogans request to the US government to extradite Gulen, he (Erdogan) cannot give evidence of Gulens involvement in the incident," Osman added.
(s012/INE)
Reported by Bambang Purwanto
EDITED BY INE
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
