More than 50,000 people in Turkey have been rounded up, sacked or suspended from their jobs in the wake of an attempted coup, including teachers, university deans and those in the media. Additionally, 103 generals and admirals have also been formally charged, making up over a third of the general rank command in the Turkish army.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also yet to rule out the possibility of re-introducing the death penalty for those who are convicted of what he calls “high treason”. Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 during a series of human rights reforms that the country undertook to gain membership into the European Union. EU Foreign Policy Chief, Federica Mogherini spoke last week on the matter, asserting that if Turkey was to re-introduce the death penalty, it would not be entering the EU. If the death penalty was to be introduced again it would take a parliamentary decision in the form of a constitutional measure.
All of this comes after forces loyal to President Erdogan managed to crush an attempted coup by some members of the military. The death toll from the coup has risen to more than 290, the Ministry said in a statement, adding that more than 1,400 people had been wounded.