The former license holder for the Zaman daily, Alaaddin Kaya, has filed with the court through his lawyer, announcing his resignation from the controversial Gülen Movement. Zaman, known as the leading media organ of the movement, was seized by the state earlier this year.

Kaya made the filing to the prosecutor in charge of the investigation into the Gülenist Terror Organization (FETÖ), was sought in connection with the criminal organization and has been a fugitive from the law. In his application, Kaya cited a speech made by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in April, when he said that those who insisted on remaining part of this criminal network must accept the consequences. Kaya said he would not want to live in a country run by such a group, adding that he only knew those people publicly known to be linked to the group. Kaya said he didn't know of all the group's criminal transactions, and was shocked when information about these had appeared in the news.

He claimed he knew nothing about the stealing of questions for public recruitment tests, conspiracies to weaken the military, illicit phone tapping and other actions. In the filing he wrote, "[these] are horrifying and I condemn them. I knew no one who did or could have done such misdeeds. Despite these statements, could I still be pursued as a suspect? If they are not enough, you can accept this filing as my letter of resignation."

Kaya has been sought by authorities since December.