Turkey issued arrest warrants Wednesday for 47 former staff of the Zaman newspaper as part of a sweeping crackdown since the attempted power grab on July 15.
Advertisement
Turkish authorities detained veteran female journalist Nazli Ilicak as part of the investigation into the coup after issuing arrest warrants for over 42 reporters a day earlier in a move that caused worldwide concern.
The detentions were the latest in a purge in the wake of the attempted coup which killed about 290 people.
Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, who is Erdogan’s son-in-law, said Turkish authorities had been planning a major purge of the military and other institutions to remove Gulen-linked elements ahead of the coup attempt.
Gulen, who denies the charge, has built up an extensive network of supporters, schools, charities and businesses in Turkey over decades.
“If Gulen is regarded as the main culprit of the coup attempt and wants to be acquitted, he should come to Turkey and stand trial in independent courts”, he said.
The U.S. has told Turkey to present evidence against Gulen and let the U.S. extradition process take its course.
Later on July 16, the Turkish leadership said that the coup was quashed and the government regained control in the country.
Turkey’s ties with Washington will be impacted if the United States does not extradite the cleric it accuses of masterminding a failed military coup, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, adding he would meet with U.S. officials on the topic during a coming visit.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported previously that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received a warning from Russian Federation about an imminent military coup just hours before it was initiated.
He urged the government to make a distinction between those who are guilty and those who are innocent in the deadly failed coup.
“It is necessary to cleanse the elements of this structure whose leader is staying in the United States”.
He warned that a lack of support for Turkey could harm ties with allies. “Today, we are here to normalize the situation and our relations as soon as possible and at an accelerated pace since they were disrupted on November 24”, when Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian border, he said.
Advertisement
They are accued of sympathizing with or belonging to a religious group headed by Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who lives in the US.
