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| Turkey builds 'traitors' cemetery' for insurgents who died in failed coup | Turkey builds 'traitors' cemetery' for insurgents who died in failed coup |
| (30 days later) | |
| Tucked in the back corner of a construction site for a new dog shelter in eastern Istanbul lies a freshly dug, unmarked grave – the first in the new “traitors’ cemetery” created specifically to hold the bodies of plotters who died in the 15 July failed coup. | Tucked in the back corner of a construction site for a new dog shelter in eastern Istanbul lies a freshly dug, unmarked grave – the first in the new “traitors’ cemetery” created specifically to hold the bodies of plotters who died in the 15 July failed coup. |
| The following week, the city announced it intended to set up a cemetery specifically for those involved who had died, an estimated 24 of the almost 300 killed that night. | The following week, the city announced it intended to set up a cemetery specifically for those involved who had died, an estimated 24 of the almost 300 killed that night. |
| Authorities would “reserve a spot and call it a traitors’ cemetery. Passersby will curse them,” the Istanbul mayor, Kadir Topbaş, said in remarks carried by the Doğan news agency. “May every passerby curse them and let them not rest in their tombs.” | Authorities would “reserve a spot and call it a traitors’ cemetery. Passersby will curse them,” the Istanbul mayor, Kadir Topbaş, said in remarks carried by the Doğan news agency. “May every passerby curse them and let them not rest in their tombs.” |
| The creation of the cemetery comes as the Erdoğan government issues a widespread crackdown in the aftermath of the coup. Nearly 16,000 people have been detained, including about 10,000 military personnel; displays of patriotism abound, with many Turks flying national flags from the windows of their apartments or cars, and nightly pro-government rallies are held in cities across the country. | The creation of the cemetery comes as the Erdoğan government issues a widespread crackdown in the aftermath of the coup. Nearly 16,000 people have been detained, including about 10,000 military personnel; displays of patriotism abound, with many Turks flying national flags from the windows of their apartments or cars, and nightly pro-government rallies are held in cities across the country. |
| Turkey’s directorate of religious affairs issued a directive denying funeral prayers and services for those who died while trying to overthrow the government. Such prayers, it said, were intended for the faithful as an act of exoneration, “but these people, with the action they undertook, have disregarded not just individuals but also the law of an entire nation and therefore do not deserve exoneration from the faithful”. | Turkey’s directorate of religious affairs issued a directive denying funeral prayers and services for those who died while trying to overthrow the government. Such prayers, it said, were intended for the faithful as an act of exoneration, “but these people, with the action they undertook, have disregarded not just individuals but also the law of an entire nation and therefore do not deserve exoneration from the faithful”. |
| Andrew Gardner, Turkey researcher for the Amnesty International rights group, said such moves were “contributing to what is a pretty poisonous and dangerous atmosphere” in the aftermath of the failed coup. “Denying people religious services and decent burial is a basic denial of people’s rights. In any normal circumstances such statements would be unimaginable,” Gardner said. | Andrew Gardner, Turkey researcher for the Amnesty International rights group, said such moves were “contributing to what is a pretty poisonous and dangerous atmosphere” in the aftermath of the failed coup. “Denying people religious services and decent burial is a basic denial of people’s rights. In any normal circumstances such statements would be unimaginable,” Gardner said. |
| Construction was quick. In two days, workers had built a low stone wall around a patch of land in the back of the site that will hold a new shelter for some of Istanbul’s many stray dogs. A black metal sign was put up Monday, with the words “traitors’ cemetery” in white. | Construction was quick. In two days, workers had built a low stone wall around a patch of land in the back of the site that will hold a new shelter for some of Istanbul’s many stray dogs. A black metal sign was put up Monday, with the words “traitors’ cemetery” in white. |
| The first – and so far, only – body arrived in an ambulance on Monday, workers said. No prayers were said and no ceremony was held for the burial beneath a dying pine tree. | The first – and so far, only – body arrived in an ambulance on Monday, workers said. No prayers were said and no ceremony was held for the burial beneath a dying pine tree. |
| The workers were not sure of the identity of the body brought to the cemetery, but local media said the first to be interred there was Mehmet Karabekir, a 34-year-old captain and father of two. His mother, they reported, refused to claim his body, so he was taken to the new cemetery. | The workers were not sure of the identity of the body brought to the cemetery, but local media said the first to be interred there was Mehmet Karabekir, a 34-year-old captain and father of two. His mother, they reported, refused to claim his body, so he was taken to the new cemetery. |
| Next to his lie three more graves – deep, open trenches dug out of the rocky ground with heavy machinery, waiting for new arrivals. The workers haven’t been told when more bodies might come. All they know is that they were told to build a dry stone wall in a corner of the construction site, and dig some graves. | Next to his lie three more graves – deep, open trenches dug out of the rocky ground with heavy machinery, waiting for new arrivals. The workers haven’t been told when more bodies might come. All they know is that they were told to build a dry stone wall in a corner of the construction site, and dig some graves. |
| “Those who disrespect this nation will not be allowed to rest even in their tombs,” Topbaş said in a speech on Monday night. | “Those who disrespect this nation will not be allowed to rest even in their tombs,” Topbaş said in a speech on Monday night. |
| Deep within the animal shelter construction site, the cemetery isn’t accessible to the public. But some of those at the existing makeshift dog shelter next door were furious to hear the newly announced cemetery had already been constructed in their area. | Deep within the animal shelter construction site, the cemetery isn’t accessible to the public. But some of those at the existing makeshift dog shelter next door were furious to hear the newly announced cemetery had already been constructed in their area. |
| “They should have buried them somewhere far from our animals. I wish we didn’t know those traitors were here. We don’t want them,” said Serhan Baturay, a 57-year-old volunteer who also runs animal welfare groups. | “They should have buried them somewhere far from our animals. I wish we didn’t know those traitors were here. We don’t want them,” said Serhan Baturay, a 57-year-old volunteer who also runs animal welfare groups. |
| “They shouldn’t be placed near our dogs. They shouldn’t be anywhere in Turkey,” she said. “They should be cremated and their ashes tossed into the ocean. There shouldn’t be a trace of them anywhere in the country. As a Turkish citizen I don’t want such a thing.” | “They shouldn’t be placed near our dogs. They shouldn’t be anywhere in Turkey,” she said. “They should be cremated and their ashes tossed into the ocean. There shouldn’t be a trace of them anywhere in the country. As a Turkish citizen I don’t want such a thing.” |