Turkey: state of emergency will be lifted after two years of purges

Turkey lifts a state of emergency two years ago after an abortive coup d'etat, in which vast purges were carried out, but the opposition fears that It does not endure in fact through a new "anti-terrorist" law.

This exceptional regime, which considerably expands the powers of the President and the security forces, was put in place on July 20, 2016, a few days later. a bloody coup attempt that rocked Turkey on the night of 15 to 16 of the same month.

Under the state of emergency, the Turkish authorities conducted a relentless stinging of two years against the putschists and their alleged sympathizers, but also targeted pro-Kurdish opponents accused of "terrorism", critical media and NGOs.

Activated for an initial three-month period, the state of emergency was extended seven times and the last extension expires Wednesday at 22:00 GMT (Thursday 01:00 Turkish time). The government has indicated that there will be no new extension.

The planned lifting of the state of emergency occurs less than a month after elections won by Mr. Erdogan that have endowed the strong man Turkey's powers were strengthened by a controversial constitutional amendment adopted last year.

The state of emergency allowed Mr. Erdogan to issue two-year decrees with the status of a law. have profoundly changed the Turkish legislation. Under the constitutional reform, the Turkish president will retain this prerogative after the state of emergency.

For the past two years, Turkey has lived through incessant purges that have led to the imprisonment of nearly 80,000 people suspected of links to the coup or to "terrorism". More than 150,000 civil servants have also been fired or suspended.

Among the 34 decree-laws issued during the state of emergency include the establishment of a single uniform for people imprisoned in connection with the putsch – a measure never applied to date – or judicial immunity for civilians who have faced the putschists.

"A new page"?

"The end of the state of emergency could open a new page in Turkey ", congratulates Murat Yetkin, editorialist of the Hürriyet newspaper, evoking a greater independence of the justice and the media.

But enthusiasm could be short-lived, with the introduction in Parliament this week of a bill backed by Erdogan's party that contains several measures inspired by the provisions of the state of emergency.

Thus, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency, the text allows the authorities to continue, for the next three years, to dismiss any official linked to a "terrorist organization."

In addition, public administrators appointed during the state of emergency at the head of companies suspected of links with a "terrorist organization" may remain in place for another three years.

Other measures: demonstrations and gatherings will, unless otherwise authorized, be prohibited after sunset. Local authorities may restrict access to certain areas and detention may last up to 12 days, depending on the nature of the offense.

After announcing the forthcoming lifting of the state of emergency, Turkish leaders insisted on the need, in their view, to put in place a legislative framework to continue to "fight effectively" against "terrorist groups."

Ankara blames the coup attempt on preacher Fethullah Gülen, who resides for twenty years in the United States and denies any involvement.

The bill must be studied in parliamentary committee from Thursday and debated in the Chamber on Monday. But the opposition is already drawing red balls on the text.

The main anti-Erdogan party, the Republican People's Party (CHP, Social-Democratic), accuses the government of wanting to "perpetuate the state of emergency" with measures considered "contrary to the Constitution".

"With this text, with the measures that it understands, the state of emergency will not be prolonged of three months, but of three years", accused Monday Ozgür Ozel, Deputy Chairman of the CHP Parliamentary Group

18/07/2018 07:15:09 –
Istanbul (AFP) –
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