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Erdogan declared
the state of emergency late on Wednesday saying it would enable
authorities to swiftly and effectively root out supporters of
last weekend's failed military coup in which at least 246 people
were killed.
The state of emergency allows the president and government to
pass laws without first having to win parliamentary support and
also allows them to curb or suspend rights and freedoms as they
deem necessary.
Turkish authorities have already launched a series of mass
purges of the armed forces, police, judiciary and education
system, targeting followers of a U.S.-based Muslim cleric,
Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan has accused of masterminding the
failed coup. The reclusive 75-year-old Gulen denies the charge.
The first decree signed by Erdogan authorizes the closure of
1,043 private schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 trade
unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions over
suspected links to the Gulen movement, the state news agency
Anadolu reported on Saturday.
Erdogan has also approved the extension of the period in which
certain suspects can be detained to 30 days from a maximum of
four days, Anadolu said. The period has been extended to
facilitate a full investigation into the coup attempt.
Parliament must still approve the decree but requires only a
simply majority, which the ruling AK Party founded by Erdogan
and in power in Turkey since 2002 commands.
In an address to lawmakers late on Friday Erdogan vowed to bring
to justice supporters of the Gulenist "terrorist" movement. He
also inspected damaged parts of the parliament building in
Ankara that were strafed by the coup plotters during last
weekend's violence.
(Reporting by Gareth Jones and Humeyra Pamuk Editing by Jeremy
Gaunt)
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