Turkey tightens grip, ends two-year state of emergency

MENA

Published: 2018-07-20 11:24

Last Updated: 2024-03-18 12:08


The two-year nationwide state of emergency comes to an end amidst fears of more authorities
The two-year nationwide state of emergency comes to an end amidst fears of more authorities

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared the two-year nationwide state of emergency, which was imposed after a failed coup attempt, over on Thursday, the country’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Usually lasting a total of three months, the state of emergency was extended seven times since it was first declared in 2016. During that period, 80,000 people were detained and 107,000 people were sacked from their public sector jobs.

During last month’s election campaign, which won Erdogan another term as president, the leader pledged to end the state of emergency under a new Bill, despite opposition fears that it would be replaced by even more repressive legislative measures.

“With this Bill, with the measures in this text, the state of emergency will not be extended for three months, but for three years. They make it look like they are lifting the emergency but in fact they are continuing it,” the head of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Ozgur Ozel, said.

The Bill, dubbed “anti-terror” legislation by pro-government media, will be discussed at commission level on Thursday and then in a plenary session on Monday.