State of Emergency Declared in Turkey
Turkey’s president has declared a state of emergency for three months following Friday night’s failed army coup, Anadolu agency reported.
Speaking at the presidential palace in Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed that “all the viruses within the armed forces will be cleansed”. The declaration could be used to extend the detention of nearly 10,000 people rounded up since the failed coup.
“This measure is in no way against democracy, the law and freedoms,” said Erdogan after announcing the state of emergency. He praised those who were killed fighting against the coup as “martyrs.” Some 246 people were killed resisting the attempted coup, according to the government.
