Turkey Curbs Army Power amid Protests

Turkey’s Parliament has passed a controversial proposal to modify an article of the Armed Forces charter cited by generals in the past to justify coups as defense of public order.

All political parties represented in Parliament passed the proposal, which was submitted in late June by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), by a majority vote, Today’s Zaman informs.

Article 35 of the army's internal code, which entered into force after a coup in 1960, stipulated that it is the duty of the armed forces to protect and watch over the Turkish republic – a reference that for many would imply strictly enforcing a secular order.

The proposed amendment redefines the duty of the Turkish Armed Forces as “defending Turkish soil against threats and dangers from abroad, empowering the military force to ensure deterrence, performing missions abroad given by Parliament and helping to maintain international peace.”

The move is viewed as the latest step in the government's efforts to curb the influence of the once powerful army, which has staged four coups over the last fifty years.

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