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Ankara (Agenzia Fides) - In recent days, the Turkish press highlighted the participation of prominent members of the local Christian communities in demonstrations "in defense of democracy", convened in the Country to condemn the failed coup of State of 15 July. According to reports sent to Agenzia Fides, the Turkish media gave ample space to official statements disseminated by Greek-Orthodox Christian, Armenian and Syrian leaders to underline its disapproval against the failed coup. Nikolaos Uzunoglu , President of the World Federation of Greek-Orthodox in Istanbul said: "I strongly condemn the attempted coup of State on July 15 against the government and the constitutional order in Turkey, .... I hope that the Country overcomes this difficult moment in the shortest time possible, and finds peace". Even Greek Orthodox Laki Vingas, representative of the Foundations of minorities, attended the commemoration of the "martyrs of democracy" convened in Istanbul in Taksim Square: "The attempt of coup d'etat, organized against the office of the Presidency of our Country, against Parliament and the Government", said among other things Vingas "will not be erased from our memory, because it is one of the blacks points of our recent history". The Turkish press also enhanced the statements of Armenian writer Artun Altiparmak, who commenting on the recent events in Turkish history said that he had never felt he belonged to a "minority", and shared the Country’s same feelings of condemnation against the coup attempt.
At the same time, Turkish press campaigns continue against Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish Islamic preacher expatriated in the United States and indicated by Turkey as the instigator of the failed coup.
Journalist Erhan Afyonku, indicated Gulen and his network as a "Trojan horse" with a "mentality of the Crusade" against the Turks. While journalist Mine Kirikkanat, of the Cumhuriyet newspaper of Sunday, August 7th, in an article inspired by the most imaginative conspiracy, recalled the meeting of Fethullah Gulen and John Paul II in February 1998, and insinuated that Fethullah Gulen could be cardinal created "in pectore" by the Polish Pope who died on April 2, 2005. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 10/08/2016)
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