Risking important Kyrgyz-Turkish relations, Kyrgyzstan’s education ministry released a statement that praised the Sebat school network, which it said has educated 10,000 Kyrgyz since 1992.

“Equating Sebat schools to terrorist organisations and imposing certain sanctions on students and members of their families only on the grounds that they are studying in Sebat schools is unacceptable and the statements of Turkish officials are irresponsible,” it said in a statement.

Five days before the Kyrgyz statement, Turkey’ deputy education minister, Ophan Erdem, told a group of Kyrgyz academics visiting Turkey that graduates from Sebat schools would be denied Turkish visas.

“Please ask your acquaintances, friends and brothers not to go to these terrorists’ schools because it is highly likely that we will deny visas to those who study at such schools. We do not even want to see their families in Turkey,” he was quoted as saying.

Turkish President Recep Erdogan has blamed Mr Gulen and his followers for a failed coup in July 2016. Since then, his forces have arrested thousands of Gulenists.

Turkey has persuaded Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to detain and start extradition proceedings against several people linked to Gulenist businesses and education institutions but has been less successful in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Turks linked to the Gulenists’ movement set up schools in Central Asia and the South Caucasus in the 1990s, shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, which are now highly regarded.