Turkey coup aftermath: Death penalty to be reinstated for 6,000 arrested military men

More than 290 people were killed in the military coup attempt in Turkey, spokespeople for the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. More than 100 of the victims are participants of the coup, RBC reports. More than 1,400 others were injured in violent clashes. Earlier reports indicated 265 deaths, including 104 coup members. 

Photo: AP photo

Among the victims of more than 100 people were participants in the coup. More than 1,400 people were injured in the clashes. 

An attempted coup d'etat rocked Turkey on the night of July 16, when army troops opened fire on government buildings, including the building of the Turkish General Staff and the intelligence headquarters. Tanks were rolling through the streets of Ankara, while bridges over the Bosphorus were blocked in Istanbul. 

Later, however, the forces controlled by President Recep Erdogan managed to take the situation under their control. As many as 6,000 people were arrested for the participation in the mutiny, including Erdogan's chief military adviser.

After the failed coup attempt, Turkey may reinstate death penalty, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday.

"We can not ignore the request from the people in a democratic society - this is your right," Erdogan said.

"All governmental departments will be cleared of the virus," the Turkish leader added.

Erdogan also said that the discussion of the death penalty issue should not be delayed. The Turkish government should discuss the matter with the opposition, he added. 

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also spoke about the possibility to reinstate death penalty for the participants of the coup. 

Death penalty was abolished in Turkey in 2004 to meet the standards of EU membership that the country was aspiring to.  

Meanwhile, clashes between the participants in the attempted coup and security forces occurred on Sunday, July 17th, at the second largest airport in Istanbul. The participants of the attempted coup in Turkey clashed with security forces as the latter were trying to detain coup members in Istanbul's second largest Sabiha Gokcen Airport. Eleven people were detained at the airport. Clashes were also reported at Konya air base in central Turkey, where seven people, including one colonel, were arrested. 

The US-led anti-terrorist international coalition resumed operations against the Islamic State terrorist group from Incirlik air base in Turkey, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said. Turkey allowed to resume operations from the air base after the commander of the base was arrested. The commander of Incirlik airbase is suspected of being involved in the military coup. 

US Secretary of State John Kerry said in an interview with CNN that he spoke with his Turkish counterpart three times on Saturday. 

Pravda.Ru