Turkey’s premier withdraws about 1500 insult lawsuits

He recently told Votel to “know your place” after Votel expressed concern that the post-coup crackdown may affect the fight against ISIS.

Turkish fighter jets and refueling tankers used in the coup attempt came from Incirlik, according to the complaint. Turkey has demanded his extradition, but Washington has asked for evidence of the cleric’s involvement, saying the extradition process must take its course.

Gulen was once an Erdogan ally until ties soured several years ago.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says he has withdrawn lawsuits against about 1,500 people, including opposition politicians, journalists and writers, for insulting him or his office. If he does, Bozdag said, it would only be with the full knowledge of US authorities.

Hicks said the general would also reaffirm “the importance of our enduring partnership for regional security”, citing operations out of the Incirlik air base against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, and Turkey’s contributions to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the fight against the Islamic State group.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told a top-ranking USA general that his government remained committed to principles of law in its fight against coup plotters and called for Washington to extradite US-based preacher Fethullan Gulen “as soon as possible”.

The letter hailed the “courageous and determined resistance” of the Turkish nation which helped defeat the July 15 coup attempt by “a group of Fetullah Gulen terrorists in the Turkish Armed Forces, disguised in military uniform”.

Germany’s charge d’affaires was hauled in to the foreign ministry to hear how strongly the Erdogan regime feels about the issue.

Erdogan has singled out Germany for criticism, after a court there ruled against allowing him to appear on a video link to address a crowd of about 30,000 supporters and anti-coup demonstrators in Cologne over the weekend. A message from Erdogan was read out instead.

Germany is home to roughly three million people with Turkish roots.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said Germany’s action was contrary to freedom of speech.

He said that German courts address cases very slowly, “yet the German Constitutional Court prohibited our president addressing the rally via teleconference in less than 24 hours”.

German officials insist there was no wrongdoing.

The government has launched a sweeping crackdown on Gulen’s movement, which it characterizes as a terrorist organization and which runs schools, charities and businesses internationally. “The government must release all detainees unless there is a reasonable suspicion that they have committed a recognizable criminal offense”.

Speaking Tuesday night in a live interview with CNN Turk, Yildirim said he withdrew the lawsuits Monday.

Turkey had also canceled this year’s August 30 Victory Day military parades because of the “extraordinary situation”, the minister said.