Ankara says the coup was masterminded by US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen and the massive crackdown appears to be targeting individuals suspected of any connection to Erdogan’s ally-turned-foe.
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“It is the Turkish people’s call and the parliament’s right to decide whether to pass the law of death penalty”, Erdogan said.
Pro-government crowds, which have rallied at major squares every night since Friday’s coup, have been clamouring for traitors to face capital punishment.
Mr Erdogan said regional governors would receive increased powers under the state of emergency, adding that the armed forces would work in line with government orders.
However, Gulen, 75, has rejected allegations that he was involved in the attempt, telling prosecutors in a statement that he is “not the person who planned or led the coup”.
More than 1,500 university deans have also been ordered to resign and the licences of 21,000 teachers working at private institutions revoked.
More than two dozen generals, including former air force chief Gen Akin Ozturk, have been remanded in custody pending the setting of trial dates.
He was more diplomatic on Turkey-U.S. ties, saying cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State should not be mixed up with Ankara’s demand for the extradition of Fetullah Gulen.
“We would like to inform the Maltese public that Turkey is dealing with the consequences of the foiled coup attempt… worldwide reports claiming that there is an ongoing purge in Turkey is baseless”.
Want to keep up with the latest education news and opinion? Some 246 people were killed resisting the attempted coup, according to the government.
On Tuesday, authorities shut down media outlets deemed to be supportive of the cleric and said 15,000 people had been suspended from the education ministry along with 100 intelligence officials.
If Russia attacked the Baltic countries, Trump said he would determine whether or not to assist them only after reviewing whether those countries “have fulfilled their obligations to us”.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim earlier noted that Turkey might reconsider its friendly relations with the United States if Washington did not extradite Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan also warned that unnamed “other countries” may have played a role in the coup.
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Erdogan, who had been accused of autocratic conduct even before this week’s tough crackdown, said the state of emergency would counter threats to Turkey.
