Supporters of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, hold and wave a Turkish flag during a “Republic and Democracy Rally” at Taksim square in central Istanbul, Sunday, July 24, 2016.
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Turkey has detained over 13,000 people as part of a crackdown in response to a failed military coup, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late Saturday, not long after the presidential guard became the latest target of the purge.
Members of Turkey’s ruling and main opposition parties are rallying together in support of democracy and to condemn the bloody coup attempt July 15. Prime Minister Yildirim said that there are still some coup participants who remain at large-some went to Greece and some are staying in Marmaris.
“Turkey is on democracy watch”.
Power to the facility was cut during the coup attempt and was restored Friday, the USA miltiary said.
Using new emergency powers, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s cabinet decreed that police could now hold suspects for one month without charge, and also announced it would shut down over 1,000 private schools it deems subversive.
According to Anadolu Agency, the state-run press agency of Turkey, among the measures are the closure of more than 1000 of private schools, charity organizations and more than 1200 associations that are presumptively in connection to Fethullah Gulen, the US-based Muslim cleric accused of organizing the failed coup.
A presidential official quoted by Reuters said Halis Hanci, described as Fethullah Gulen’s right-hand man, had been “captured”.
Also on Saturday, Ankara’s chief prosecutor Harun Kodalak reportedly said that 1,200 detained in the wake of the coup have been released, the majority of which were low-ranking soldiers.
The streets of Turkey’s major cities were quiet Friday, a day after Turkish lawmakers approved a three-month state of emergency that allows the government to extend detention times and issue decrees without parliamentary approval.
European leaders have protested against the mass purge, with Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi warning that “a country that jails its own university professors and journalists imprisons its future”.
“Come here and see how serious this is”, EU Minister Omer Celik said at a foreign media briefing.
“Those who look at Turkey from far away think it is a Pokemon game”, he added, referring to the viral Japanese cartoon smartphone game.
The presidential guard numbers around 2,500 soldiers, but at least 283 were detained after last week’s uprising.
More than 9,000 soldiers have been arrested since the coup.
“Only provable involvement in illegal acts, not suspected political leanings, should trigger governmental action”, Steinmeier said in a statement.
Over 37,500 police staff and civil servants have been suspended, and more than 21,000 teachers have been stripped of their licenses.
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The turmoil has also strained Turkey’s ties with its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies and cast a shadow over its long-term bid to join the European Union. However, the role of the army in society has been gradually curtailed – ironically with the support of the European Union – ever since Erdogan’s AK Party was elected to office in 2002 and today there is little support among Turks for military intervention against elected governments.
