Turkish authorities yesterday imposed a three-month state of emergency, strengthening powers to round up suspects accused of staging the failed military coup despite global alarm over a widening purge, AFP from Ankara.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared the state of emergency, Turkey’s first in 14 years, shortly before midnight after a marathon meeting of his national security council, and it entered into force yesterday when it was published in the official gazette.
Erdogan said it would allow Turkey to be cleared of “terrorists” linked to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom he accuses of masterminding the failed coup from his leafy compound in Pennsylvania.
Concern is growing over respect for the rule of law almost a week after the coup attempt that left over 300 people dead and raised fears of chaos in the key NATO member.
But Erdogan insisted democracy would not be compromised and lashed out at critics of the sweeping purge that has seen tens of thousands of people detained, sacked or suspended.
The state of emergency was needed “in order to remove swiftly all the elements of the terrorist organisation involved in the coup attempt,” Erdogan said.