people flock to mark event despite crackdown
ADVERTISEMENTThousands of pro-Erdoğan supporters gathered on July 15 Martyrs Bridge in Istanbul to mark the first anniversary of Turkey’s failed coup.
The president arrived with his wife, addressed the masses and attended the opening of a memorial located on the bridge.
More than 240 people died before the coup was shut down on July 15, 2016.
In shadow of crackdown, #Turkey commemorates failed coup https://t.co/WyChf4SWd9pic.twitter.com/w9QQ6YfXnO
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) July 15, 2017
Despite the groundswell of nationalism, the coup and subsequent government crackdown, mass arrests, a media clampdown and widespread sackings has bitterly divided the nation.
Some 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended from jobs in the civil service and private sector and more than 50,000 detained for alleged links to the putsch.
“2016 failed coup has become pretext for #Erdogan’s increasingly successful effort to overthrow #Turkey democracy:” https://t.co/Q9l4PSvtBppic.twitter.com/4LyqKlyKh7
— FDD (@FDD) July 15, 2017
On Friday the government said it had dismissed another 7,000 police, civil servants and academics for suspected links to the Muslim cleric it blames for the putsch.
Critics claim Erdoğan is using the post-coup state of emergency to target opposition figures including rights activists, pro-Kurdish politicians and journalists.