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Turkish Leader Issues a Nationwide Text Calling for Loyalty Erdogan Sends a Text Across Turkey, Urging Loyalty
(about 2 hours later)
ISTANBUL — The day after Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declared a national state of emergency in the wake of a failed coup, an anxious nation awoke on Thursday to a text message from its leader, personally exhorting continued loyalty as the government moved against its enemies.ISTANBUL — The day after Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declared a national state of emergency in the wake of a failed coup, an anxious nation awoke on Thursday to a text message from its leader, personally exhorting continued loyalty as the government moved against its enemies.
Urging his supporters to maintain their presence in public squares, where they have flocked each evening since the coup attempt failed, he wrote, “Do not abandon the heroic resistance you have put up for your country, homeland and flag.”Urging his supporters to maintain their presence in public squares, where they have flocked each evening since the coup attempt failed, he wrote, “Do not abandon the heroic resistance you have put up for your country, homeland and flag.”
Even as Turkish officials were more broadly trying to assure the public on Thursday that individual freedoms would not be threatened by the state of emergency, Mr. Erdogan’s message to nationwide cellphone customers struck a more martial tone.Even as Turkish officials were more broadly trying to assure the public on Thursday that individual freedoms would not be threatened by the state of emergency, Mr. Erdogan’s message to nationwide cellphone customers struck a more martial tone.
In particular, it carried a thinly veiled threat to a wide section of society that Mr. Erdogan views as his mortal enemy: the followers of Fethullah Gulen, a former ally and Muslim cleric who lives in Pennsylvania and whom the Turkish government has identified as the mastermind of the coup conspiracy. Turkish officials have demanded that the United States extradite him to face justice in Turkey.In particular, it carried a thinly veiled threat to a wide section of society that Mr. Erdogan views as his mortal enemy: the followers of Fethullah Gulen, a former ally and Muslim cleric who lives in Pennsylvania and whom the Turkish government has identified as the mastermind of the coup conspiracy. Turkish officials have demanded that the United States extradite him to face justice in Turkey.
In his nationwide text message, Mr. Erdogan cast the nightly gatherings of his supporters in places like Taksim Square, in central Istanbul, as necessary to protect the country from Mr. Gulen.In his nationwide text message, Mr. Erdogan cast the nightly gatherings of his supporters in places like Taksim Square, in central Istanbul, as necessary to protect the country from Mr. Gulen.
He wrote: “To teach the traitor, the terrorist” — a reference to Mr. Gulen’s following, which the Turkish government calls the Fethullah Terrorist Organization — “a lesson, continue your resistance and duty to guard democracy. The owners of our squares are not tanks, but the people.”He wrote: “To teach the traitor, the terrorist” — a reference to Mr. Gulen’s following, which the Turkish government calls the Fethullah Terrorist Organization — “a lesson, continue your resistance and duty to guard democracy. The owners of our squares are not tanks, but the people.”
In the wake of the failed coup, which plunged the country into chaos after a night of violence that began late Friday, the government has moved quickly to purge from society tens of thousands of people now considered active or potential enemies. Some high-level generals and officers have been arrested on charges of plotting the coup, but thousands of soldiers, judges, teachers, police officers, governors and others either have been detained or have lost their jobs. All of them, according to the government, have links to Mr. Gulen.In the wake of the failed coup, which plunged the country into chaos after a night of violence that began late Friday, the government has moved quickly to purge from society tens of thousands of people now considered active or potential enemies. Some high-level generals and officers have been arrested on charges of plotting the coup, but thousands of soldiers, judges, teachers, police officers, governors and others either have been detained or have lost their jobs. All of them, according to the government, have links to Mr. Gulen.
Mr. Gulen has denied any involvement in the coup plot, and insists that his movement within Turkey is peaceful.Mr. Gulen has denied any involvement in the coup plot, and insists that his movement within Turkey is peaceful.
Now that Mr. Erdogan has declared a state of emergency, giving the state the power to bypass Parliament and pass laws that could possibly limit individual freedoms and suspend the rule of law for issues like pretrial detentions, many Turks are worried that the purge of suspected enemies will broaden. The concern is that Mr. Erdogan will target any and all opponents, not just those who are suspected of being followers of Mr. Gulen or of being linked to the coup.Now that Mr. Erdogan has declared a state of emergency, giving the state the power to bypass Parliament and pass laws that could possibly limit individual freedoms and suspend the rule of law for issues like pretrial detentions, many Turks are worried that the purge of suspected enemies will broaden. The concern is that Mr. Erdogan will target any and all opponents, not just those who are suspected of being followers of Mr. Gulen or of being linked to the coup.
On Thursday, many saw a strong signal that that was already happening, as a prominent and widely regarded human rights lawyer, Orhan Kemal Cengiz, was detained in Istanbul, outraging human rights activists. The exact reason for his detention was unclear, but Mr. Cengiz has been a longtime critic of Mr. Erdogan’s government.On Thursday, many saw a strong signal that that was already happening, as a prominent and widely regarded human rights lawyer, Orhan Kemal Cengiz, was detained in Istanbul, outraging human rights activists. The exact reason for his detention was unclear, but Mr. Cengiz has been a longtime critic of Mr. Erdogan’s government.
“Orhan Kemal Cengiz is a respected human rights lawyer,” said Andrew Gardner, the Turkey researcher for Amnesty International. “He’s a columnist, and a lot of his work is about human rights issues.”“Orhan Kemal Cengiz is a respected human rights lawyer,” said Andrew Gardner, the Turkey researcher for Amnesty International. “He’s a columnist, and a lot of his work is about human rights issues.”
Some speculated that it was Mr. Cengiz’s work in the past for newspapers affiliated with Mr. Gulen, like Today’s Zaman, seized this year by the government, that led to his detention. If that was the case, it suggested that the government was using a very wide definition of who may be affiliated with Mr. Gulen.Some speculated that it was Mr. Cengiz’s work in the past for newspapers affiliated with Mr. Gulen, like Today’s Zaman, seized this year by the government, that led to his detention. If that was the case, it suggested that the government was using a very wide definition of who may be affiliated with Mr. Gulen.
“He had worked for Today’s Zaman and other Gulen-affiliated newspapers,” Mr. Gardner said. “But he is in no way pushing editorial lines in his columns that are supportive of Fethullah Gulen.”“He had worked for Today’s Zaman and other Gulen-affiliated newspapers,” Mr. Gardner said. “But he is in no way pushing editorial lines in his columns that are supportive of Fethullah Gulen.”
Mr. Cengiz, who was challenging in court the seizure by the government of Today’s Zaman and its Turkish-language sister publication, Zaman, was detained at the airport on his way to London for a conference. Earlier in the week, Turkey effectively barred academics from traveling abroad.Mr. Cengiz, who was challenging in court the seizure by the government of Today’s Zaman and its Turkish-language sister publication, Zaman, was detained at the airport on his way to London for a conference. Earlier in the week, Turkey effectively barred academics from traveling abroad.
Still, Turkish officials on Thursday moved to assure the public that the state of emergency would not lead to the widespread curtailment of individual freedoms, and that the government would focus only on targeting suspected coup plotters.Still, Turkish officials on Thursday moved to assure the public that the state of emergency would not lead to the widespread curtailment of individual freedoms, and that the government would focus only on targeting suspected coup plotters.
“I want to guarantee that fundamental rights and freedoms and normal daily life will not be affected by this,” Numan Kurtulmus, a deputy prime minister, told reporters in Ankara, the capital.“I want to guarantee that fundamental rights and freedoms and normal daily life will not be affected by this,” Numan Kurtulmus, a deputy prime minister, told reporters in Ankara, the capital.
As required of a member of the Council of Europe, Turkey said it was suspending its participation in the European Convention on Human Rights, as France did after the terrorist attacks in Paris last year.As required of a member of the Council of Europe, Turkey said it was suspending its participation in the European Convention on Human Rights, as France did after the terrorist attacks in Paris last year.
Officials also sought to contain the economic fallout from Turkey’s crisis, even though the value of the Turkish lira has already plunged against the dollar.Officials also sought to contain the economic fallout from Turkey’s crisis, even though the value of the Turkish lira has already plunged against the dollar.
“Life of ordinary people and businesses will go unimpacted, uninterrupted, business will be as usual,” Mehmet Simsek, a deputy prime minister and former finance minister, said in an interview with NTV, a private broadcaster.“Life of ordinary people and businesses will go unimpacted, uninterrupted, business will be as usual,” Mehmet Simsek, a deputy prime minister and former finance minister, said in an interview with NTV, a private broadcaster.
Also on Thursday, a court in Alexandroupolis in northern Greece sentenced eight Turkish military officers who fled to Greece on a helicopter after the failed coup to two months in prison, finding them guilty of illegal entry into the country.Also on Thursday, a court in Alexandroupolis in northern Greece sentenced eight Turkish military officers who fled to Greece on a helicopter after the failed coup to two months in prison, finding them guilty of illegal entry into the country.
The Turkish officers’ sentence was suspended for three years, but the eight were detained pending the outcome of their requests for political asylum in Greece. Turkey has called on Greece to swiftly extradite the officers, who have claimed that they were not involved in the coup but that they fled the country in fear of their lives.The Turkish officers’ sentence was suspended for three years, but the eight were detained pending the outcome of their requests for political asylum in Greece. Turkey has called on Greece to swiftly extradite the officers, who have claimed that they were not involved in the coup but that they fled the country in fear of their lives.
Mr. Erdogan has used the failed coup to whip up the emotions of his religiously conservative base of supporters, representing roughly half the country. That has intensified concerns that the president’s provocative language could lead to lasting divisions, and possibly incite more violence.Mr. Erdogan has used the failed coup to whip up the emotions of his religiously conservative base of supporters, representing roughly half the country. That has intensified concerns that the president’s provocative language could lead to lasting divisions, and possibly incite more violence.
Earlier in the week, a banner seen flying over Taksim Square, seemingly a message from Erdogan supporters to Mr. Gulen and his followers, promised as much: “We will hang you and your dogs by your own leashes.”Earlier in the week, a banner seen flying over Taksim Square, seemingly a message from Erdogan supporters to Mr. Gulen and his followers, promised as much: “We will hang you and your dogs by your own leashes.”