Nobody has suffered from post-coup emergency rule (OHAL) except for terrorist organizations and their members, Turkish autocratic President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sunday.
Speaking during a ceremony held for the start of the new legislative year in Turkish Parliament, Erdoğan has claimed that the post-coup emergency rule has hurt only the “terrorists”.
“So far, except for terrorist organizations and their members, not a single person has suffered from the state of emergency,” claimed Erdoğan.
Turkey survived a controversial military coup attempt on July 15, 2016 that killed 249 people. The government along with Erdoğan pinned the blame on the faith-based Gülen movement. The movement denies involvement.
More than 150,000 people have lost their jobs mostly due to post-coup emergency decrees. The government has detained more than 126,000 people including teachers, state workers, academics, judges, prosecutors, judges, businessmen, lawyers and many others from different walks of life over alleged or real links to the movement since the summer of 2016.
Nearly 40 people who or whose relatives have been affected by the post-coup purge, either by losing their jobs or by being arrested, due to their alleged links to the movement have committed suicide.
Meanwhile, the government has also increased its pressure on the Kurdish minority. While Kurdish cities were turned upside down by consecutive military attacks, scores of Kurdish politicians were jailed. Hundreds of academics and teachers were also rounded up on expanded terror charges. (turkeypurge.com)
