Turkey seizes over 2250 institutions in post-coup crackdown

The government’s response to the rally will also be widely seen as a test of its commitment to democratic freedoms.

The Turkish authorities will disband the elite presidential guard after detaining nearly 300 of its members in the wake of the failed coup, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has said.

All those institutions are suspected of links to Fethullah Gulen, a USA -based cleric accused by Turkey of directing the insurrection that left about 290 people dead and was put down by loyalist forces and pro-government protesters. Our Western friends fail to see it that way. “I’m under the impression that they will only see that once all the political leaders of Turkey are killed, and then they’ll start to dance for joy”.

Turkey fired or suspended 50,000 people this week from the country’s institutions and security forces.

Education Minister Ismet Yilmaz said late Saturday that the new teachers will replace state educators who have been dismissed as well as teachers in private schools with alleged links to Fethullah Gulen, a US -based cleric accused by Turkey of directing a July 15 coup attempt.

Tens of thousands of supporters of Turkey’s main opposition group, joined by some ruling party members, rallied Sunday in Istanbul to denounce a July 15 coup attempt, a rare show of unity that belies opposition unease over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s crackdown since the failed uprising. The remarks partly echoed his recent criticism that Turkey’s state of emergency jeopardizes democracy by granting extra powers to Erdogan.

Turkish authorities detained Gulen’s top aide Saturday, according to a source from the Turkish president’s office.

Turkey has criticized the United States for not immediately handing over the cleric for prosecution. President Barack Obama says the USA has an extradition process and has encouraged Turkey to present any evidence it has.

Turkish judges, military personnel, prosecutors and other civil servants who have been dismissed will lose any gun and pilot licenses and will have to vacate any publicly funded residences where they live within 15 days, according to the decree. Those dismissed can not work in the public sector and can not work for private security firms. In his decree, published by the Anadolu state news agency, Erdogan also extended to a maximum of 30 days from four days the period in which some suspects can be detained. Government officials said 1,200 were released Saturday.