There are 12 schools of Turkish Fethullah Gulen sect in Azerbaijan
According to the new order of Erdogan government, students of foreign schools, operating under the patronage of famous Turkish theologian Fethullah Gulen, are eligible for admission to universities in Turkey, without taking entrance exams. 12 schools operating on the territory of Azerbaijan are under the new order, the Azerbaijani news portal "Haqqin.az" reports.
The article notes that Gülen movement, also known in Azerbaijan as "Nurjurlar" (Nursists), is widely popular in the country for its educational programs. When in the early 1990s, the movement was just beginning its activities in Azerbaijan, officials welcomed him warmly enough. Then the Azerbaijani authorities preferred to focus on national policy, which is based on pan-Turkic cultural ties and not on Islamic missionary activities.
"Despite the recurrent failure, the Gülen movement managed to create an effective network, which includes former students of schools, friendly minded officials and businessmen sympathetic to the movement. The ideas of comparatively moderated Islam and Turkic nationalism professed by them response in the hearts of more and more citizens of Azerbaijan, and in particular with the young people, who see in it an alternative to both the secular state of Aliyev's administration and the Iranian Islamist-leaning," writes the portal.
However, as noted in the material, in the recent years the Azerbaijani authorities have started to refer to this movement with suspicion.
Fethullah Gülen is the leader of the religious and philosophical movement "Nur." As a media-magnate, he also owns a major industrial and financial companies and holdings around the world. Gülen owns a large network of educational institutions and schools. In 1998, Gülen was accused of attempting to overthrow the existing secular regime in Turkey. Then he immigrated to the United States avoiding the punishment. After the Justice and Development party came to power all the charges against him were dropped. Turkish Prime Minister Rejep Tayyip Erdogan and the whole Justice and Development Party are accused of having ties with Fethullah Gülen. According to various data, about five million people in Turkey and abroad (particularly in Azerbaijan and Central Asia) are involved in Gülen’s movement.
Note that in some countries, particularly in Russia, the Gülen sect "Nurjurlar" (or “Nurists”) is prohibited and its disciples are made accountable for spreading of extremism. The FSS of Russia believe that members of the sect are involved in intelligence gathering activities in favor of Turkey and have ties with terrorists in the North Caucasus.