Kerry Warns Turkey over Coup Crackdown

US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Turkey not to go too far with its ongoing detainment and ouster of thousands of military personnel, police officers and judges accused of involvement in last weekend’s failed coup attempt.

The top US diplomat, who delivered the remarks on Monday at a meeting of the European Union’s 28 foreign ministers in Brussels, said that Turkey may lose its membership in the NATO military alliance if it fails to maintain democratic principles.

Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952.

“We will certainly support bringing the perpetrators of the coup to justice but we also caution against a reach that goes beyond that and stress the importance of the democratic rule being upheld,” Kerry told journalists.

“A lot of people have been arrested and arrested very quickly,” he added. “The level of vigilance and scrutiny is going to be very significant in the days ahead.”

Kerry noted that NATO “has a requirement with respect to democracy, and NATO will indeed measure very carefully what is happening.”

EU foreign policy Chief Federica Mogherini also warned Ankara on Monday that reinstatement of the death penalty for those involved in the coup attempt would spell the end to Turkey’s years-long bid to join the EU.

“No country can become an EU member state if it introduces death penalty,” she said.

Erdogan recently suggested that Turkey may reinstate the death penalty, a measure the country abolished in 2004 as part of its effort to join the EU.

At least 6,000 military and civilian personnel have been arrested across Turkey after the failed coup and the crackdown is expected to be widened, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Sunday.

The European commissioner for regional affairs, Johannes Hahn, suggested Monday that Erdogan had already been ready for a crackdown.

The arrests showed “at least [that] something has been prepared” because

“Lists are available already,” Hahn said.

UN rights chief urges Turkey to respect law after abortive coup

On the other hand, the United Nations human rights chief has called on Turkey to abide by the rule of law in the wake of a relentless crackdown on those suspected of being involved in a recent failed military coup.

In a statement released on Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ZeidRa’ad al-Hussein expressed “serious alarm” at the mass suspension of Turkish judges and prosecutors over the botched putsch.

Turkey should “respond by upholding the rule of law, by strengthening the protection of human rights and by reinforcing democratic institutions,” Zeid said, adding, “Those responsible for the violence must be brought to justice with full respect for fair trial standards.”

Independent observers should be allowed to visit detention centers in Turkey while detainees must have access to lawyers and their families, he further said, noting that it is “particularly crucial to ensure that human rights are not squandered in the name of security.”

The abortive coup began late on July 15 when a faction of the Turkish military declared it was in control of the country and the government was no more in charge.

Tanks, helicopters, and soldiers then clashed with police and people on the streets of the capital, Ankara, and Istanbul.

More than 300 people were killed on all sides in the attempted coup d’état that was gradually suppressed.

Turkish authorities have detained over 7,500 people so far in a massive crackdown and sacked nearly 9,000 people from their posts.

Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan seeks to approve the revival of the death penalty if the parliament opts to reintroduce the measure.

The restoration of the death penalty, which was annulled in Turkey in 2004 under reforms aimed at joining the European Union (EU), would be meant to allow the execution of those believed to have been involved in the coup.

Elsewhere in his statement, the UN rights official voiced regret that high-level Turkish officials have suggested that capital punishment may be reinstated.

“Reintroduction of the death penalty would be in breach of Turkey’s obligations under international human rights law – a big step in the wrong direction,” Zeid said.

 

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