Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest against a purge of thousands of education staff since an attempted coup in July, in front of the main campus of Istanbul University at Beyazit Square in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 3, 2016. (Photo by Reuters)
Turkey has expelled over 6,000 more police personnel, civil servants and academics as the government widens its crackdown on the opposition following the abortive mid-July 2016 coup.
According to a report published by Turkey’s Hurriyet Daily News, Ankara issued three decrees under emergency rule on Friday, dismissing 2,687 police officers, 1,699 officials from the justice ministry, 838 civil servants from the health ministry, 649 academics and 135 officials from the religious affairs directorate.
On Tuesday, the Turkish parliament, dominated by the ruling Justice and Development Party, approved the three-month extension of the country’s state of emergency, which was initially implemented a few days after the coup aimed at toppling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan failed. It also increases the time that suspects can be detained without charges brought against them.
The government can use emergency rule to bypass parliament in introducing new laws and to restrict or suspend rights and freedoms when deemed necessary. Back in October, parliament had extended the state of emergency for a second three-month period.
The putsch began when a faction of the Turkish military declared that it had seized control of the country and the government of President Erdogan was no more in charge. It, however, was suppressed a few hours later, followed by Ankara’s heavy-handed crackdown on those deemed to have played a role in the attempt, which was blamed on the movement led by US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen. The Pennsylvania-based cleric, however, has categorically denied the allegation.
Over 240 people were killed on all sides during the hours that the coup attempt was underway.
More than 40,000 people have been arrested in Turkey on suspicions of having links to Gulen and the failed coup, while more than 100,000 have been sacked or suspended from work over the same accusations.
The crackdown has faced mounting criticism from government and rights campaigners, but Ankara says it will continue the purge to prevent a repetition of the attempt.