Turkey Reports More Than 35 000 in Detention after Coup Attempt

Southeast Europe | October 23, 2016, Sunday // 12:57|  views

Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozda?. File photo, EPA/BGNES

There are more than 35 000 people in detention in Turkey more than three months after this year's attempted coup, says Justice Minister Bekir Bozda?, noting that a further 4,000 remain under investigation.

He also said there have been probes into a total of 82,000 people since July. His comments were from a Saturday speech in the western city of Afyonkarahisar broadcast by NTV on Sunday.

The attempted coup claimed more than 200 lives before it was beaten back. On the ground, it wad led by elements of Turkish armed forces, but Turkey's government insists it was masterminded by Fethullah G?len, a cleric living in America.

G?len has denied the charges, but Turkey is seeking his extradition. G?len was once a close ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, but the two have been at odds for years.

A state of emergency initiated after the coup has been extended through mid January. Erdo?an has used that to purge the civil service of 50 000 employees alleged to have helped the coup or expressed sympathy for G?len.

Under the state of emergency, people may be detained without charges for 30 days instead of four and be denied contact to their attorney for five.

(dpa)

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Tags: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Bekir Bozdag, Turkey coup, Fethullah Gulen

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