White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the two leaders discussed the status of U.S. based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan has accused of being behind the coup attempt and whose extradition Turkey has said it will seek.
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Turkey’s Council of Higher Education also demanded all universities suspend academic assignments overseas and that an investigation be launched into all staff linked to what it calls the “Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organization”, Anadolu reported. We categorically oppose the death penalty.
Kerry added that Turkey must “uphold the highest standards for the country’s democratic institutions and the rule of law”.
Turkey will be able to extend detention times for suspects and issue decrees without parliamentary approval under a three-month state of emergency approved Thursday by lawmakers following last week’s attempted military coup. “Obviously the state, even before the coup, was getting ready for a large-scale purge”.
Already, around 9,000 people including police and government officials have been sacked and at least 9,300 people detained including more than 100 generals and admirals accused of masterminding the plot.
Yildirim did not say whether the evidence provided by the Turkish government to the USA constitutes a formal extradition request. In addition, 1,500 finance ministry employees were fired, 257 people working at the prime minister’s office were sacked and 492 staffers at the Directorate of Religious Affairs were dismissed, including clerics, preachers and religious teachers.
“The fight against Gulen’s movement still remains one of Turkey’s main priorities”, the administration said. Turkish media reports say some of those who fled are believed to be among the architects of the coup.
He told USA broadcaster CNN that he narrowly escaped death after coup plotters stormed the resort town of Marmaris where he was vacationing.
Regarding Turkey’s demand that Gulen be extradited, Yildirim compared the situation to the US hunt for Osama bin Laden after the September 11 attacks.
President Barack Obama spoke to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, offering U.S. assistance as Ankara investigates last week s attempted coup, but urging the government to show restraint as it pursues those connected in the failed attempt.
Will he? Or will Erdogan go right back to his preferred means of staying in power: dividing Turks into his supporters and enemies of the state, weaving conspiracy theories and using the failed coup as a license for a witch hunt, not only for plotters but for anyone who has dared to cross his path?
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Erdogan openly wept Sunday at the funeral for his top campaign manager and the manager’s teenage son who were killed when renegade soldiers opened fire on protesters at the Bosporus Bridge in Istanbul on Friday night. They waved Turkish flags, shouted pro-government slogans and sang praise of Erdogan. The EU-Turkey plan agreed in March saw the EU offer visa liberalisation, €6 billion and the opening of chapters in the country’s EU accession process to Turkey in exchange for help with tackling the migration crisis.
