Judiciary Purge 'Necessary, But Not Enough', Erdogan Says

Southeast Europe | July 18, 2016, Monday // 10:54|  views

People shout slogans and hold flags during a demonstration at Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey, July 17, 2016. Turkish authorities said they had regained control of the country after thwarting a coup attempt. EPA/BGNES

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Ankara for a second night in support for the government and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a military coup attempt was foiled.

Turkish authorities say operations are still ongoing to detain people related to the coup. Erdogan on Sunday ordered that F-16 jets perform patrol flights over the country for airspace control and security purposes. 

As many as 6000 people were arrested over the weekend, nearly half of these (2839) being military personnel. 20 pro-coup soldiers killed during clashes.  Those in custody include 70 senior military officers, of them 29 generals.

The detention of 2,745 judges and prosecutors was ordered following their suspension by the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), the country's highest judicial body.

Reuters quotes a security source as saying some 8000 police officers have been removed over possible links to the coup.

"We will continue to cleanse the state institutions of all these viruses," Anadolu Agency quotes him as saying.

Erdogan asserted that it was the national will that brought the coup to a failure.

"This virus, like a cancer, has spread throughout the state apparatus. We have informed all relevant authorities,” he went on.

The President asserted that the judiciary purge of "elements" linked to G?len "was necessary, but that is not enough“ and referred to calls from the people to reinstate the death penalty as something that cannot be completely dismissed.

“The demands of the people cannot be overlooked in democracies. It is your right. This right shall be examined within the constitutional framework by the concerned authorities.”

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim meanwhile thanked the Turkish people for defeating the coup.

"No matter their political views, all parties came together arm-in-arm against the coup. They cried out together," Al Jazeera quotes him as saying.

Ankara blames US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah G?len for the coup attempt, an accusation he bitterly denies. Turkish authorities reiterated over the weekend their demand that G?len be extradited.

A petition with the White House, launched Sunday, has already gathered nearly 23 000 signatures as of 11:00, Bulgarian time.

In a separate development, the US announced that its Federal Aviation Administration had banned all fights "into the United States from Turkey either directly or via third country.”

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Tags: Turkey coup, turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Binali Yildirim, Fethullah Gulen

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