Erdogan continues suppressing opponents, arrested 124 persons in army

NEWS DESK

Turkish media outlets reported that prosecutors ordered arresting 124 persons from the Turkish army under the pretext of the suspicion of belonging to the US-based group of Fatehullah Gulen whom Erdogan accuses of being behind the failed coup d’état attempt in July 2016 which Gulen denies.

The order comes with approaching the deadline of the legislative and presidential elections that are supposed to be held on June 24.

Since the failed coup d’état attempt, Erdogan has declared the state of emergency in the country and it has been renewed seven times so far. Erdogan uses the state of emergency to quell his opponents after a referendum was held to transform the country's system from parliamentary to presidential which gathered the whole powers in the president's hand.

The United Nations Office for Human Rights said in March that Turkey had arrested 160,000 people and terminated a similar number of government workers since the coup d’état attempt among them more than 50,000 were formally charged and remained in prison during their trial.

H/S

ANHA