ANKARA — Turkish authorities on Tuesday suspended some 12,800 police officers from duty over their suspected links to US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.
In a brief statement posted on its website, the Turkish police headquarters said those suspended were allegedly “in cohesion with or connected to” Gulen’s movement. It said 2,523 of them were police chiefs.
Tens of thousands of people have been dismissed or suspended from government jobs including in the military, police, judiciary and the education ministry.
Around 32,000 people allegedly connected to the failed takeover attempt have been arrested, including dozens of journalists employed by Gulen-linked news outlets.
Authorities have closed schools, charities, foundations and even medical establishments associated to the movement and also appointed trustees to manage Gulen-linked businesses.
Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, has denied involvement in the coup attempt that led to at least 270 deaths.
Turkey, however, wants him returned to stand trial for conspiring to bring down the government and has also requested that he be held in custody until the US courts decide on his extradition to Turkey.
Emergency extended for 90 days
Turkey will extend a state of emergency imposed after the July failed coup for another three months starting from Oct. 19, the government said on Monday.
The decision was announced after a weekly cabinet meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his presidential palace in Ankara. Erdogan last week suggested that the emergency could be in place for a year.
"The state of emergency will be extended for another 90 days starting Oct. 19 from 1 a.m.," Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told a news conference after the cabinet meeting.
The decision still needs to be put to vote in the 550-seat parliament but it is certain to be passed as the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) enjoys a majority in the house.
The opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has also voiced support for the extension.
The government says basic freedoms will not be undermined. It says the state of emergency is needed to hunt down suspects in the failed putsch, blamed by authorities on US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen.
"The extension means we are still taking certain steps to address vital challenges to our democracy," a senior Turkish official said on condition of anonymity.
Erdogan defended Turkey's actions by pointing to France which has extended emergency since the Daesh-claimed attacks on Paris in November.
The president said last week that even a 12-month emergency may not be enough to fight coup plotters.
It is not yet clear when the trials of tens of thousands of people will begin. But it is set to be the biggest legal process in Turkey's history and will put the judicial system under enormous pressure.
Erdogan, meanwhile, has criticized the United States for failure to heed Turkey's calls for Gulen's extradition.
"When America asks us to send back terrorists, we ship them as a package but we haven't seen the same response from our strategic partner," Erdogan said in televised comments.
"You haven't extradited one terrorist who has lived in luxury for 17 years."
