Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday faced growing European Union criticism over an “unacceptable” crackdown that has seen tens of thousands of people detained or sacked, as supporters celebrated the defeat one week ago of the coup aimed at ending his rule.
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In a statement, High Representative Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn said they were “concerned” by Turkey’s decision to declare a state of emergency.
Asked whether the abortive coup had derailed his plans to change the constitution and bolster his powers by making Turkey a full presidential system, he avoided a direct answer, but said a “more limited” package of constitutional amendments could be agreed with the opposition.
Even without the emergency measures, his government already has imposed a crackdown that has included mass arrests, mass firings and the closure of hundreds of schools.
Erdogan told Reuters the government’s Supreme Military Council, which is chaired by the prime minister and includes the defence minister and the chief of staff, would oversee the restructuring of the armed forces.
Washington has said Ankara must first provide clear evidence of Fethullah Gulen’s involvement in the attempted coup and lawyers have said any extradition process could take years. “We will, one by one, cleanse the state of [Gulen’s followers] and eliminate those who are trying to harm the country”.
Turkey’s parliament ratified a motion for a three-month state of emergency by a vote of 346 for, 115 against on Thursday.
“Stop standing up for savages who run over citizens with tanks, who strafe people from land and the air”, he said. “We will have a legal framework for it”.
It also said that “any temporary suspension of the European Convention of Human Rights needs to follow the rules foreseen for such a derogation”, but did not elaborate what those rules were.
“Turkey has been a strong ally for decades, as we’ve faced together a great variety of problems, from the Cold War to today’s counter-ISIL campaign”, Carter said.
Unlike some of Ankara’s Western allies, Iran did not wait for the coup’s failure to speak up in support of the Erdogan government.
The base had been operating on a backup generator since July 16, when power was shut off at all military bases in Turkey following a failed military coup.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged all Turks to stay on the streets as he continues to purge state institutions following last week’s attempted coup. And Turkey imposed emergency rule over its restive Kurdish regions in the southeast in 1987, lifting it 15 years later.
“The army will get fresh blood”, Erdogan said in a televised interview in Ankara.
A large crowd blocked access overnight to a Turkish military base in the capital amid nervousness following last week’s failed coup attempt. The eight, who deny involvement, have applied for asylum in Greece, saying they fear for their safety if they are returned.
A Greek court on Thursday sentenced the eight Turkish soldiers to two months in prison for illegally entering the country, with the sentences suspended as their asylum requests are evaluated. Police talked him down after an hour-and-a-half and he was taken into custody.
He said he was told about the attempted coup by his brother-in-law while he was holidaying with his family in the Mediterranean resort of Marmaris.
In a phone call, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told Erdogan the coup attempt was “a test to identify your domestic and foreign friends and enemies”.
But Erdoğan insisted democracy would “not be compromised” and lashed out at critics of the sweeping purge that has raised deep concerns about democracy and human rights in the key North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member.
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Information for this article was contributed by Kirsten Grieshaber, David Rising, Costas Kantouris, Elena Becatoros and Fanis Karabatzakis of The Associated Press.
