PHOTO: President Erdoğan speaking on Wednesday night — “We have never made compromises on democracy” (Reuters)
In a step rationalizing his purges after a failed coup last weekend, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has declared a three-month state of emergency.
Erdoğan announced the step in a televised speech on Wednesday night, following meetings of the National Security Council and Cabinet.
“The purpose of the state of emergency is to most effectively and swiftly take steps necessary to eliminate the threat to democracy in our country, the rule of law, and the rights and freedom of our citizens,” the President said.
He cited Article 120 of the Constitution, which allows for a state of emergency for up to six months if there are widespread acts of violence aimed at the destruction of the Turkish system.
Erdoğan tried to reassure the public, “Never be worried. There is nothing to worry about.”
Justifying a Purge?
Since the coup attempt collapsed last Saturday, the Government has detained or suspended more than 50,000 State employees, including members of the military, police, gendarmerie, judges, teachers, University administrators, and civil servants.
Almost 100 generals are to be put on trial, with more than 2,000 military personnel still detained. Warrants have also been issued for the arrests of 140 members of the Supreme Court, 48 of the Council of State, and other judges, including two on the Constitutional Court. On Tuesday, about 100 staff of Turkey’s intelligence service MIT were suspended, and the Prime Ministry suspended 257 personnel.
Yesterday, the Government cracked down further on the higher education sector, firing 100 academics and banning travel for all faculty members. All University deans have been suspended.
Despite these steps, the President said last night, “We have never made compromises on democracy. And we will never make them.” He told followers after the speech that the state of emergency would not limit fundamental rights or freedoms, and that the decision was not the same as declaring martial law.
Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim have justified the measures by proclaiming that the coup was part of a long-term plot by the followers of self-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen. The President, who split with long-time ally Gulen in 2013 amid widespread allegations of corruption within the Government, has declared that Gulenists have established a “parallel system” within a “deep State” in an attempt to overthrow him.
Erdoğan has demanded that President Obama extradite Gulen, who lives on a farm in Pennsylvania.
The President indicated in his speech that the effort would continue as part of a necessary vigilance to halt the coup attempts, “I don’t think we have come to the end of it yet.”
