Turkey Extends Police Powers, Shutters Schools After Coup
Faizan Hashmi Published July 23, 2016 | 11:08 PM
ISTANBUL, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23th july, 2016) - Turkey pushed on with a sweeping crackdown against suspected plotters of its failed coup Saturday, telling EU critics it had no choice but to root out hidden enemies. Using new emergency powers, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's cabinet decreed that police could now hold suspects for one month without charge, and also announced it would shut down over 1,000 private schools it deems subversive. A week after renegade soldiers tried to oust him with guns, tanks and F16s, the Turkish government has detained over 12,000 people it suspects are state enemies, including almost 300 officers of the guard shielding his Ankara palace. As part of the mass arrests, police detained a nephew of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, 75, whom Turkey accuses of orchestrating the July 15 putsch and whose followers it labels a "terrorist" group. Meanwhile, Turkey's EU Minister Omer Celik insisted that European leaders don't appreciate the scale of the threat and lamented that none had come to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Turkey's leaders after the bloodshed of July 15. "Come here and see how serious this is!" Celik told a foreign media briefing.
"Those who look at Turkey from far away think it is a Pokemon game," he added, referring to a viral smartphone game with Japanese cartoon characters. He added that Gulen was more dangerous than either the late Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden or Islamic State (IS) group militants. - 'No-one suffered like us' - ============================= Celik insisted that Turkey, despite the turmoil, remained committed to its long-term bid to join the European Union, and would honour a landmark deal with the EU to stem the flow of migrants to Europe. "We don't believe this is the end of the road, it is time to start brand new momentum," Celik told reporters in Ankara, when asked if the membership bid was still a strategic aim.
Erdogan struck a darker tone, telling France 24 television that "for the past 53 years Europe has been making us wait", and that no EU candidate country "has had to suffer like we have had to suffer". He rejected the European criticism of his iron-fisted response to the coup, charging that "they are biased, they are prejudiced, and they will continue to act in this prejudiced manner towards Turkey". Ankara has insisted that the measures would not add up to an attack on democracy, arguing that they were no different to those France had taken since being hit in a series of bloody jihadist attacks. Turkey for the first time since the coup released a large group of detainees, 1,200 low-ranking soldiers, saying it wanted to swiftly sort out those who had fired on the people from those who had not. - Plotters and martyrs - ======================== The crackdowns are part of seismic changes that have rocked Turkey since the shock of the coup attempt that claimed 270 lives. The night of violence left 24 rebel soldiers dead.
Some 179 civilians, 62 police and five soldiers who opposed the soldiers also died and have been hailed as "martyrs". Since the coup, massive crowds of flag-waving Erdogan supporters have taken to the streets night after night to celebrate their leader.
According to the authorities, over 12,000 people have been detained -- mainly soldiers but also police, judges, teachers and civil servants. In the latest move targeting the education sector, 1,043 private schools and 1,229 associations and foundations will be shut down, said Saturday's Gazette statement.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Cricket: England v West Indies 3rd Test scoreboard
Finance minister briefs Chinese officials on reform agenda, engagement with IMF
Finland says Russian vessel violated its territorial waters
Olympic opening ceremony under way on River Seine
West Indies' treble strike rocks England in third Test
Ukraine court orders detention of suspect in murder of nationalist ex-MP
Long queues, ticketing problems ahead of Paris opening ceremony
Rana Sanaullah Khan joins Paris 2024 Olympics inauguration reception
Glowing tributes mark 69th birthday of President Zardari at Governor's House
Players unaware of spying scandal as Canada Olympic coach sent home: official
Naqvi hails Pak women cricketers for going down fighting against SL
'Sabotage' on French rail network before Olympics: What we know
More Stories From World
-
Biden talks Gaza ceasefire efforts with king of Jordan
5 hours ago -
Sinaloa Cartel co-founder pleads not guilty after stunning US capture
5 hours ago -
Panama says Venezuela blocked ex-presidents going to observe polls
5 hours ago -
Ethiopia mourns victims of landslide tragedy
5 hours ago -
Khan Yunis fighting displaces 180,000 Gazans in four days: UN
5 hours ago -
Trump slams rivals as he meets Netanyahu in Florida
5 hours ago
-
Obama & his wife, Michelle, officially endorse US VP Kamala Harris for president
5 hours ago -
Rain, cooling slow huge blaze in Canada's Jasper park
5 hours ago -
Airbus and Boeing supremacy secure despite turbulence
5 hours ago -
S.African police detain 95 Libyans at suspected military camp
6 hours ago -
'Slapping therapist' guilty over UK diabetic woman's death
6 hours ago -
Panama says Venezuela blocked flight of ex-presidents going to observe polls
6 hours ago