President Recep Erdogan has responded to the apparent coup attempt by clamping down on alleged dissidents since the failed bid to oust him from power rocked the country. Two generals resigned as the meeting convened.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Turkey to show proportionality in its pursuit of those behind the failed coup.
Turkey has embarked on a major military reshuffle after the putsch, which Ankara blames on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen and his followers. A total of 8,113 have been formally arrested and are awaiting trial, while the judicial system itself has also experienced reshuffles and arrests.
The purges have also hit government ministries, schools and universities, the police, civil service, media and business.
But Cavusoglu, the foreign minister, insisted the journalists were not detained for their “journalistic activity”.
The number of public sector workers removed from their posts since the coup attempt now stands at more than 66,000, including some 43,000 people in education, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Friday. They have also issued warrants for the detention of 47 former executives or senior journalists of Turkey’s Zaman newspaper. Turkey has demanded the extradition of Gulen, who has denied any involvement in the coup. Turkey is set to take over organizations, including hospitals and charities, with links to the Gulen movement in the East African country.
U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry said he would consider an extradition request should Turkey submit “legitimate evidence [of Gulen’s involvement] that withstands scrutiny”.
On Thursday, at least 500 demonstrators – Turkish media gave varying estimates on their numbers – were at the gates of Incirlik burning USA flags and demanding an end to the US presence.
“Some judges and prosecutors with ties to the Gulen movement have fled to Germany”.
“These journalists worked in media organizations that belonged to this terror organization”, Cavusoglu said. “And so I’m concerned about what the impact is on those relationships as we continue to move forward”, Votel said at the Aspen Security Forum.
“Europe does have leverage to influence Turkey in a positive way”.
“But in a state of law… the principle of proportionality applies”, she told reporters. “This principle of proportionality must be respected under all circumstances”.
“The worry is that the principle of proportionality is not always at the centre of this crack-down.”
Following a shake-up of the military on Thursday after almost half of its 358 generals were sacked, the top brass of the reshuffled armed forces met Erdogan at his presidential palace in Ankara. “We’re able to mitigate and deal with instances where we’re unable to fly from certain locations”, he said.
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Numerous 10,000 detainees are locked up in horses’ stables and sports halls – some hogtied in horrific stress positions, according to human rights campaigners.
