The government has said the attempted coup was organized by followers of USA -based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through supporters within the Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming the so-called ‘parallel state’.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a summit in Istanbul on May 23, 2016. The council is composed of top military figures and security ministers.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the measure is being taken to counter threats to Turkish democracy and was not meant to curb basic freedoms.
The minister said he is not aware of any United Kingdom citizens arrested during Friday’s clashes, which MPs heard has killed more than 200 people with some 1,400 injured.
He said: “Will you take this opportunity to ensure that president Erdogan and his allies appreciate that press freedom and freedom of speech is one of the values that those behind this coup want to crush, and which he should seek to uphold?”
“We will remain within a democratic parliamentary system”.
In 2014, he reportedly said, “We will not leave this nation at the mercy of YouTube and Facebook”.
He guaranteed that all the “viruses” in the armed forces would be cleansed.
However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. And 245 staff were fired at the Youth and Sports Ministry, it said.
“Europe does not have the right to criticize this decision”, Erdogan added, apparently anticipating expressions of concern from the European Union, which has become increasingly critical of Turkey’s rights record and has urged restraint as Ankara purges its state institutions since the abortive coup.
Some media outlets reported on reinforcement of censorship. More than 20,000 teachers and administrators have been suspended from the Education Ministry. One hundred intelligence officials, 492 people from the Religious Affairs Directorate, 257 at the prime minister’s office and 300 at the Energy Ministry have been removed from duty. Almost 29,000 government employees have been suspended in recent days, including more than 6,300 soldiers.
Ankara police suspended 900 officers on suspicion of links with Gulen movement.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Tuesday voiced “serious alarm” at the mass suspension of judges and prosecutors and urged Turkey to allow independent monitors to visit those who have been detained. “The U.S. has the death penalty, Russian Federation has it, China has it”.
The U.S. -Turkish relationship has been tested by recent events, with officials trading barbs in the last few days about Turkey’s request that the U.S. extradite Gulen, who has denied any involvement in the failed putsch.
The military said 104 coup plotters were killed. “These are very alarming signs and we are very concerned”, he said.
Prime Minister Yildirim accused Washington, which has said it will consider Gulen’s extradition only if clear evidence is provided, of double standards in its fight against terrorism. Treason – such as that implied by Erdogan’s demand for Gulen’s extradition – is not listed as such an act in the countries’ treaty. But he also suggested that the US government shouldn’t require the facts before extraditing him.
Electricity supplies to Incirlik air base, where the USA air force has attack jets and more than 50 nuclear bombs, had still not been restored yesterday. Relations between our countries are based on interests, not feelings.
However, Kerry said he had told Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavosoglu in several phone calls: “Please don’t send us allegations, send us evidence”.
Such a request would face legal and political hurdles in the United States.
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Hahn says the purges are “exactly what we feared” and may jeopardize Turkey’s entrance into the EU.
