EU concerned by Turkey’s state of emergency

The European Union (EU) has expressed concern about Turkey’s declaration of a state of emergency following an attempted coup last week, calling on Ankara to respect the rule of law and human rights.

“We are following the developments regarding the state of emergency Turkey has declared after the attempted coup, which the European Union condemned, very closely and with concern,” read a joint statement by Federica Mogherini, the EU’s foreign policy chief, and Johannes Hahn, the bloc’s enlargement commissioner, on Thursday.

The Turkish government started implementing a three-month state of emergency on the same day. The measure would boost state powers to arrest those believed to have been involved in the botched coup, which started last Friday night.

The Turkish government would also suspend the implementation of a key European rights convention under the state of emergency.

Mogherini and Hahn said in their statement, “This declaration comes in the wake of the recent unacceptable decisions on the education system, judiciary and the media,” referring to mass dismissals and arrests of people in the mentioned institutions in Turkey following the coup.

“We call on Turkish authorities to respect under any circumstances the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right of all individuals concerned to a fair trial,” the EU officials said.

Following the failed coup, Turkish authorities have taken into custody over 10,000 suspects and sacked nearly 50,000 alleged sympathizers in state offices.

Erdogan announced the state of emergency — Turkey’s first since 2002 — following a lengthy meeting with his national security team on Wednesday.

He said the emergency measures would allow the country to be cleared of “terrorists” allegedly linked to US-based opposition figure Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan says is behind the failed coup.

Gulen, however, has dismissed the accusation as “ridiculous,” denying any involvement in the putsch.

Meanwhile, Ankara has escalated pressure on Washington to extradite Gulen, sending several “dossiers” that it says are packed with evidence about his alleged role.

The US had earlier said it would extradite Gulen if Turkey provided evidence, not allegations, that he was behind the coup attempt.

Many countries have voiced concern about the crackdown that the Turkish government has begun following the failure of the coup. The EU is particularly concerned as Ankara seeks accession to the bloc. One special area of concern is Ankara’s attempts to reintroduce the death penalty to allow the execution of those believed to have been involved in the coup bid.

Erdogan has said democracy would “not be compromised” but lashed out at the critics of the sweeping purge in the country.

Turkey’s opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has censured the declaration of the state of emergency in the country, saying, “The road to arbitrary rule, unlawful behavior, feeding on violence, has been chosen.”

Erdogan said in a brief statement early Friday that 10,410 people have so far been detained.

Moreover, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus announced that a total of 265 people were killed during the coup, including 24 plotters and 241 citizens and members of the security forces, who confronted them.

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