ISTANBUL: Turkish prosecutors ordered the detention of 100 soldiers over suspected links to the network of the US-based Muslim cleric accused of orchestrating a failed coup in 2016, state-owned media said on Monday.
The detentions were the result of investigations into pay phone communications between alleged members of cleric Fethullah Gulen’s network, Anadolu said. It said the detentions were in progress.
Police have conducted a steady stream of raids against Gulen’s alleged supporters since the July 2016 coup attempt, in which 250 people were killed. Gulen denies involvement.
More than 77,000 people have been jailed pending trial, while 150,000 civil servants, military personnel and others have been sacked or suspended from their jobs as part of the post-coup purges. Widespread operations are still routine.
Rights groups and Turkey’s Western allies have voiced concerns over the scale of the crackdown, saying President Tayyip Erdogan has used the abortive putsch as a pretext to quash dissent.
The government, however, has said the security measures were necessary due to the gravity of the threat Turkey faces.
Turkey orders arrest of 100 soldiers over suspected Gulen links
Turkey orders arrest of 100 soldiers over suspected Gulen links
- More than 77,000 people have been jailed pending trial, while 150,000 civil servants, military personnel and others have been sacked or suspended
- Rights groups and Turkey’s Western allies have voiced concerns over the scale of the crackdown
Tunisian police clash with youths in Kairouan after man’s death
- Tunisia President Kais Saied shut down parliament and began ruling by decree in 2021 in what he called a move to root out rampant corruption and mismanagement, but which the opposition called a coup
TUNIS: Clashes erupted for a second night on Saturday between police and youths in the central Tunisian city of Kairouan after a man died following a police chase, according to his family, fueling authorities’ fears that protests could spread across the country. As Tunisia prepares to mark the January anniversary of the 2011 revolution, which sparked the Arab Spring uprising, tensions have risen amid protests, and a powerful UGTT union call for a nationwide strike next month. Thousands have been protesting for weeks in the southern city of Gabes, demanding the closure of a chemical plant on environmental grounds.
Witnesses said demonstrators in Kairouan threw stones, petrol bombs and flares, and blocked streets by burning tires, prompting police to disperse crowds with tear gas.
The family said the man, riding a motorcycle without a license, was chased by police, beaten, and taken to a hospital. He later fled and died on Friday from a head injury.
The government was not immediately available to comment. Relatives of the deceased said they will not remain silent and will spark major protests if those responsible are not held accountable.
In a bid to defuse tensions, Kairouan’s governor visited the family on Saturday evening and pledged to open an investigation to determine the circumstances of the death and establish accountability, witnesses said.
Tunisia President Kais Saied shut down parliament and began ruling by decree in 2021 in what he called a move to root out rampant corruption and mismanagement, but which the opposition called a coup.
Rights groups accuse Saied of using the judiciary and police to stifle criticism, something that Saied denies.
