Demonstrators held a cross-party “Republic and Democracy” rally in Istanbul’s central Taksim Square in a spirit of unity following the failed coup, in which at least 246 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured.
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Tens of thousands of Turks on Sunday flocked to a rally in Istanbul organized by the main opposition but joined by the ruling party as well to say “no” to the failed coup attempt a week ago.
The flag-waving demonstrators in the city’s Taksim square reflected widespread rejection of the coup attempt in a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation country that has endured several coups in past decades.
Turkey has declared a three-month state of emergency to restore security following the coup attempt, which was foiled by loyalist security forces and pro-government protesters.
Security will be tight following a series of attacks this year claimed by Islamic State group jihadists and Kurdish militants. The party has lost clout since Erdogan came to power more than a decade ago with votes from a pious Muslim class that was sidelined under Turkey’s past secular rulers.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Turkish president sent a letter to the head of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Binali Yildirim, Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) head Devlet Bahceli.
But he also stressed the importance of a free press and freedom of assembly, as well as the dangers of dictatorship and authoritarianism. The remarks partly echoed his recent criticism that Turkey’s state of emergency jeopardizes democracy by granting extra powers to Erdogan.
Turkish authorities have investigated, detained or suspended more than 60,000 civil servants, judges, police, soldiers and teachers in the past week on suspicion of association with the uprising. In addition, some 50,000 workers have lost their jobs, suspected of possible ties to the coup plotters.
Erdogan has ordered the closure of thousands of charities, foundations and private schools with suspected ties to USA -based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has many supporters in Turkey.
The preacher, who lives in a compound in rural Pennsylvania and whose foundation runs a global network of schools, charities and media interests, has strongly denied the accusations against him.
The number of alleged conspirators who have been rounded up has surged above 13,000 with soldiers, police, justice officials and civilians all targeted in a purge that has alarmed North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies and European leaders. And it has disbanded the presidential guard after already detaining almost 300 members suspected of plotting against Erdogan, and detained Muhammet Sait Gulen, a nephew of the cleric who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania. The Turkish president and his supporters have blamed influential Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen for the coup, urging the USA to extradite Erdogan’s archenemy, who has lived in Pennsylvania since 1999.
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“The main question is not who was behind the coup in Turkey or whether Fethullah Gülen, who lives in the United States, was linked to it”.
