Courting controversy: Turkey’s clampdown on defendants’ dress

Turkey has launched a crackdown on what some defendants can wear in court after a controversial episode last month.A coup suspect sparked a row after appearing before a judge dressed in a t-shirt with ‘Hero’ emblazoned across it.Now Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, says terrorists and those suspected of being involved in last year’s failed coup will new dark-almond colour clothing.Those accused of involvement in the coup will wear jumpsuits, while terrorism suspects will dress in jackets and trousers, added Erdogan.Metin Feyzioğlu, president of the Bar Association of Turkey, said the uniform gave the impression the defendants were already guilty.Since last year’s coup attempt more than 50,000 people have been detained and 150,000 people suspended in a crackdown which has drawn criticism from some Western allies. Turkey says it is a justified response to the threat the country faces.The ‘Hero’ t-shirt worn by a defendant in a trial of coup suspects three weeks ago led to a heated argument inside the courtroom and the judge briefly suspended the hearing.Several people were detained by police across the country in the following days for wearing the same T-shirts, Turkish media reported.