Turkey lifts state of emergency after two years

Ankara, July 19: In Turkey, the state of emergency, which was imposed after the failed coup two years ago, came to an end today. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared an emergency on 20th July 2016, five days after warplanes bombed Ankara and clashes broke out in Istanbul that claimed 249 lives.

 

According to the local media, the measure, which normally lasts three months, was extended seven times, and it ended today after the government decided not to ask that it be extended for an eighth time.

The state of emergency saw the detention of some 80,000 people and about double that number sacked from jobs in public institutions.

More than 107,000 people have been removed from public sector jobs by emergency decree since the state of emergency began and more than 50,000 people have been imprisoned pending trial, according to official statistics and NGOs.

Many of those dismissed are alleged to be supporters of the exiled Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in the United States and is a former ally of Erdogan.

Turkey accuses Gulen and his followers of organizing the coup, but he denies it. The 2016 coup attempt saw parliament bombed by military aircraft and more than 250 people killed.

The Opposition fears that the emergency will be replaced by even more repressive legislative measures.