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Purges in Turkey following the 2016 Turkish coup attempt

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Turkish idiotic President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

The 2016 Turkish purges are ongoing political purges of the judicial, police, educational and other sectors of the Turkish civil service following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt during the presidency of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Starting on 16 July 2016, 2745 judges were dismissed and detained.[1][2] By July 20, 2016, about 50,000 officials had been dismissed, detained or suspended.[3][4]

Background

From 2014 to mid-2016, repeated purges of civilian, military and judicial officials took place in Turkey, mainly aimed at followers of Fethullah Gülen, a former colleague of the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.[5]

On 16 January 2014, during a major corruption enquiry in Turkey, several prosecutors were reassigned.[6] On 21 or 22 January 2014, 96 judges and prosecutors, including the chief prosecutor of Izmir, Huseyin Bas, were transferred to new locations, causing investigations into corruption to cease. Bas was transferred to Samsun. Altogether 120 judges and prosecutors were reassigned.[7] At the time, The Daily Telegraph described the events as "the biggest purge of the judiciary in [Turkey's] history".[8]

July 2016 purges

An extensive purge of the Turkish civil service began in the wake of the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt, with President Erdoğan warning his opponents that "they will pay a heavy price for this."[9] The New York Times described the purges as a "counter-coup" and expected the president to "become more vengeful and obsessed with control than ever, exploiting the crisis not just to punish mutinous soldiers but to further quash whatever dissent is left in Turkey".[9]

On 18 July 2016, U.S. State Secretary John Kerry urged Turkish authorities to halt the increasing crackdown on its citizens, indicating that the crackdown was meant to "suppress dissent". French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault voiced concern, warning against a "political system which turns away from democracy" in response to the purges.[10]

Military

Prime Minister Yıldırım announced on 16 July 2016 that 2,839 soldiers of various ranks had been arrested.[11] Among those arrested were at least 34 generals or admirals.[12] A number of students of the Kuleli Military High School, enough to fill five buses, were also arrested.[13] By 18 July 2016, a total of 103 generals and admirals have been detained by Turkish authorities in connection with the coup.[14][15]

Yasemin Özata Çetinkaya, the governor of Sinop Province, was removed from her duty and her husband, a colonel in the Turkish army, arrested.[16] Turkish military conducted a raid on the Turkish Air Force Academy in Istanbul as well.[17]

The Presidency of Religious Affairs also stated that it would not be providing religious funeral services to the dead coupists, except for "privates and low-ranking officers compelled by force and threats who found themselves in the midst of the conflict without full knowledge of anything".[18]

Police and judiciary

On 16 July 2016, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors of Turkey (HSYK) removed 2,745 Turkish judges from duty and ordered their detention.[19][1][2] Of these judges, 541 were in administrative judiciary and 2,204 were in criminal judiciary. This amounted to approximately 36% of all judges in Turkey at the time.[20] Two judges from the Constitutional Court of Turkey, Alparslan Altan and Erdal Tercan, were detained by Turkish authorities for supposed ties with the Gülen movement,[21] while 5 members of the HSYK had their membership revoked and 10 members of the Turkish Council of State were arrested on charges of being members of the parallel state.[22] Furthermore, arrest warrants were issued for 48 members of the Council of State and 140 members of the Court of Cassation.

By 18 July 2016, the Turkish government had suspended 8,777 government officials across the country for alleged links to the coup perpetrators. Among those suspended include 7,899 police officers, 614 gendarmerie officers, 47 district governors and 30 regional governors.[23] As of 19 July 2016, 755 judges and prosecutors had been arrested in relation to the coup attempt.[24]

Civil service

Following a series of arrests and purges throughout the government, Prime Minister Yıldırım announced on 18 July 2016 that annual leave for all civil servants was suspended, and all those on leave were to return to work. Over three million civil servants were affected. In addition, public sector employees were banned from leaving the country.[25]

Deputy Mayor of Istanbul's Şişli District, Cemil Candaş, was shot in the head in his office by an unidentified assailant on 18 July 2016. Meanwhile, Turkish parliament was evacuated due to unidentified security concerns.[26]

By the evening of 19 July, the number of public sector employees suspended had reached 49,321. In the Ministry of Finance, more than 1500 employees were suspended. In the Prime Ministry, 257 employees, including six advisers, were suspended. The Presidency of Religious Affairs suspended 492 employees, among them three provincial muftis. The numbers of suspended personnel in the National Intelligence Organization and Ministry of Family and Social Policy were 100 and 393 respectively.[27][28]

On 20 July 2016, the Youth and Sports Minister Akif Çağatay Kılıç announced that 245 personnel within his ministry had been laid off. The Energy Ministry reports 300 employees were let go, and the Customs Ministry indicated 184 employees were dismissed.[29]

Education

By far the greatest purge was in the Ministry of National Education, where 15,200 teachers were suspended. The licenses of 21,000 teachers in the private sector were also cancelled. The Council of Higher Education asked all deans of state and private universities, numbering 1577, to resign. 626 educational institutions, mostly private, were shut down.[30]

On 20 July, in Burdur, one school, one cram school and four student hostels shut down.[31] In addition, a travel ban was placed on academics, preventing them from leaving the country.[32]

Media

Main article: Media freedom in Turkey

The licenses of 24 television channels and the press cards of 34 journalists accused of being linked to Gülen were revoked.[33][34]

Two people were arrested for praising the coup attempt and insulting President Erdogan on social media.[35]

Notable people

Responses

Human Rights Watch warned the Turkish government against "[using] the coup attempt to justify a witch-hunt against those it regards as opponents".[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Frazer, Susan; Dominique, Soguel (16 July 2016). "Turkey quashes coup; Erdogan vows 'heavy price' for plotters". Austin American-Statesman/AP. Archived from the original on 16 July 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b "Turkey's top judicial board HSYK orders detention of 2,745 Gülen-linked judges over coup attempt". dailysabah.com. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Turkey declares three-month state of emergency". CNN. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  4. ^ Morris, Loveday (2016-07-19). "Turkey suspends more than 15,000 education workers in widening purge". Retrieved 2016-07-19. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b "Turkey: Protect Rights, Law After Coup Attempt". Human Rights Watch. 2016-07-18. Archived from the original on 2016-07-19. Retrieved 2016-07-19. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Butler, Daren; Toksabay, Ece (2014-01-16). "Turkish prosecutors removed as judicial purge intensifies". Thomson Reuters. Archived from the original on 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2016-07-18. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ Butler, Daren; Tattersall, Nick (2014-01-22). "Turkish judicial purge brings corruption investigation to halt". Thomson Reuters. Archived from the original on 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2016-07-18. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Shirlock, Ruth (2014-01-22). "Turkey continues with huge purge of judges and police". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2016-07-18. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b "The Counter-Coup in Turkey". New York Times. 2016-07-16. Archived from the original on 2016-07-16. Retrieved 2016-07-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Robinson, Duncan; Srivastava, Mehul (18 July 2016). "US and EU leaders warn Turkey's Erdogan over post-coup crackdown". Financial Times. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  11. ^ "Başbakan Yıldırım'dan açıklama: Kalkışma bastırıldı, 161 şehit var". NTV. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Darbe girişiminde 34 general ve amiral gözaltında". Hürriyet. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  13. ^ "Kuleli Askeri Lisesine düzenlenen operasyon tamamlandı". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  14. ^ "Turkey dismisses 9,000 officials after failed coup". Al Arabiya English. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Turkey urged to protect rule of law". RTÉ. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |late= (help)
  16. ^ "Darbe girişimiyle ilgili 140 Yargıtay ve 48 Danıştay üyesi hakkında gözaltı kararı". T24. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  17. ^ "Turkey coup attempt: Police and officials purged". BBC. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  18. ^ "Diyanet: Darbecilere cenaze hizmeti verilmeyecek". Milliyet. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  19. ^ Dolan, David (16 July 2016). MacSwan, Angus (ed.). "Turkey removes more than 2,700 judges following coup attempt". Reuters. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  20. ^ "TÜRKİYE GENELİ HAKİM VE CUMHURİYET SAVCISI KADRO DURUMU" (PDF) (in Turkish). hsyk.gov.tr. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  21. ^ "Gülen-linked Constitutional Court members Altan, Tercan detained after failed coup attempt". Daily Sabah. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  22. ^ "HSYK, 2 bin 745 hakimi açığa aldı; 5 kişinin üyeliğini düşürdü!" (in Turkish). T24. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  23. ^ "Interior Ministry suspends 8,777 officials in wake of Turkey's failed coup attempt". Hürriyet Daily News. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  24. ^ "Turkey's post-coup purge reaches 20,000". Deutsche Welle. 2016-07-18. Archived from the original on 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2016-07-19. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ Osborne, Samuel (18 July 2016). "Turkey coup: PM suspends annual leave for over three million civil servants". The Independent. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  26. ^ Withnall, Andy (18 July 2016). "Turkey parliament 'evacuated due to imminent security threat'". The Independent. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  27. ^ "Cumhuriyet tarihinin en büyük operasyonu; kamuda 49 bin 321 kişi görevden alındı". T24. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  28. ^ "Turkey Extends Purge to Universities, Asking All Deans to Go". Bloomberg. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  29. ^ "Turkish parliament dismisses eight executives as crackdown on Gülenists continues" (in Turkish). Retrieved 20 July 2016. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  30. ^ Foundation, Thomson Reuters. "Turkey shuts 626 educational institutions -Turkish official". news.trust.org. Retrieved 2016-07-20. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  31. ^ "Burdur'da FETÖ/PDY'ye yakınlığıyla bilinen bir özel okul, 4 pansiyon ve bir dershane mühürlendi" (in Turkish). CNN Türk. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  32. ^ Kareem Shaheen (20 July 2017). "Erdoğan declares three-month state of emergency in Turkey". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  33. ^ "34 gazetecinin basın kartı iptal edildi". T24. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  34. ^ "Turkey coup: Purge widens to education sector". BBC. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  35. ^ "Hürriyet Daily News | LEADING NEWS SOURCE FOR TURKEY AND THE REGION". www.hurriyetdailynews.com. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
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