Former Gülen supporter quits daily Zaman after row

ISTANBUL

Hüseyin Gülerce was widely known as the voice of the U.S.-based Islamic scholar Gülen.

Hüseyin Gülerce, a long-time columnist for daily Zaman, known for links to the Fettulah Gülen movement, has resigned, according to news portal İnternethaber.

He was widely known as the voice of the U.S.-based Islamic scholar Gülen, who has been at odds with the government since the large investigation that started last December, which involved four Cabinet ministers and their family members.

He was called “Gülen’s spokesperson in Turkey” by many. However, Gülerce took a more moderate stance against the government since the beginning of the investigation and wiretappings, which Erdoğan claims are coup attempts against his government.

“I quit Zaman,” Gülerce told the news portal. “Because I have nothing left to write for Zaman. Nobody knows about my decision. I resigned from Zaman as of today.”

The columnist said he told his decision to editor-in-chief Ekrem Dumanlı via an SMS message.

“He did not tell me to stay. He settled with saying ‘I wish you had stayed,’” the portal quoted him as saying.

The columns of Gülerce, also a former editor-in-chief, have not been published in the paper since June 6. Gülerce had called for support for Erdoğan during the presidential elections for Aug. 10. He repeatedly called for peace between Erdoğan and Gülen.