Share

Rule of law at risk in Turkey, warn experts

Ankara has long accused Gulen, once a close Erdogan ally sharing his Islamo-conservative views, of operating a parallel state in Turkey with the aim of toppling the government.

Advertisement

Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said: “We have serious concerns about the situation in Turkey”.

The 550-member parliament is set to approve Erdogan’s request for a three-month state of emergency. A spokesperson for the Gulen inspired NY based, Alliance for Shared Values also denied suggestions of any involvement, telling the Associated Press, “we categorically deny such accusations and find them to be highly irresponsible”.

Before the vote, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said that once emergency measures are invoked, the country would suspend its participation in the European Convention of Human Rights, an worldwide treaty meant to protect human rights and freedoms.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a three-month state of emergency, following the failed military coup on 15 July, which left hundreds of people dead, while also hailing citizens who took to the streets to stop tanks as heroes and martyrs. The government says the measures will enable the country to take quicker action against people involved in the failed coup and Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek insisted the state of emergency would not be used to infringe upon human rights.

In the days since the coup failed, Turkey has intensified a sweeping crackdown on the media, the military, the courts and the education system following an attempted coup, targeting tens of thousands of teachers and other state employees believed to have links with Gulen for dismissal.

The state of emergency has been declared under Article 120 of the Turkish Constitution.

He also said Europe has “no right” to question why he is making such a big decision.

It says authorities have blocked access to more than 20 news websites, cancelled press cards for 34 journalists, and issued an arrest warrant for one journalist for her coverage of the coup. He also asked that worldwide observers be allowed to visit Turkey’s detention centers.

And under the state of emergency, laws could be passed to grant new powers to the government, he reports.

Turkey has launched a massive post-coup purge.

Mr Gulen has denied any involvement.

In comments quoted by NTV, Kurtulmus also said Turkey’s state of emergency could end within one to one and a half months.

Advertisement

“While there has been global and unanimous support for the democratically elected government of Turkey in reaction to the military coup, the measures introduced today go in the wrong direction”, the association said.

Turkey's President Erdogan won't rule out death penalty