Turkey declares three-month state of emergency: Erdoğan

By Ian Greenhalgh on July 21, 2016

No doubt the dictator will use these 3 months to turn Turkey into a totalitarian state

With the number of persons purged by Erdogan now exceeding 50,000 and no signs of the purging coming to an end, this news of a 3 month state of emergency really is the icing on the dictator’s cake. It really doesn’t matter either way if the ‘coup’ was real or just an Erdogan-scripted pantomime, it is the subsequent events in Turkey that bear by far the greatest significance – Erdogan has leveraged the ‘coup’ events in order to carry out a purge of Stalin-esque proportions, no doubt to be followed by show trials and, if Erdogan gets his way, executions of the plotters. There now remains no doubt – Erdogan is a ruthless, cruel dictator who has solidified his dictatorship by eliminating the remaining opposition and turning his regime into a totalitarian one. Anyone who attempts to defend this inhuman monster is either stupid or, more likely, being paid to do so.

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Hurriyet Daily News
Turkey declares three-month state of emergency: Erdoğan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced late on July 20 a nationwide three-month state of emergency after the July 15 failed coup.

“The purpose of the state of emergency is to most effectively and swiftly take steps necessary to eliminate the threat to democracy in our country, the rule of law, and the rights and freedom of our citizens,” Erdoğan said.

After back-to-back National Security Council and Cabinet meetings – the first since the coup – Erdoğan made a statement saying the three-month state of emergency was being declared under Article 120 of the Turkish Constitution.
Under Article 120, in the event of serious indications of widespread acts of violence aimed at the destruction of the free democratic order, a state of emergency may be declared in one or more regions or throughout the country for a period not exceeding six months.
The three-month state of emergency came into force on July 21 after it was published in the Official Gazette and began at 1 a.m.

“Never be worried. There is nothing to worry about,” Erdoğan said.

He said “it is out of the question” for the armed forces to seize power.

“Quite the reverse, the authority and will of the [civilian] leaders will grow more in this process,” Erdoğan said.
“We never compromise on democracy, and we will not compromise,” he added.

The president also blasted Standard & Poor’s downgrade of Turkey’s main sovereign rating in the wake of last week’s failed coup as politically motivated.

“Why are you even interested in Turkey? We’re not a member of you… Don’t every try to mess with us,” he said.

In 2013, S &P failed to reach a rating agreement with the Turkish Treasury, since which it has only issued an unpaid, unsolicited assessment.
The Treasury has deals with other international rating agencies, Fitch and Moody’s, which kept the country’s investment-grade rating in the failed coup’s wake.
The president said that Turkey is still committed to advancing infrastructure projects and will continue its economic reforms.
He said that S &P’s assessment does not reflect the realities of the Turkish economy, which grew 4.8 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the same period last year. The president vowed that Turkey will maintain fiscal discipline.

“Turkey will continue its economic reforms without any interruption….There is no liquidity problem,” he said.

After declaring the nationwide three-month state of emergency, Erdoğan later addressed people assembled in public squares across the country via video conferencing.
Erdoğan first addressed crowds in the Central Anatolian city of Konya, then connected with the southeastern city of Şanlıurfa online from Ankara.
He said the state of emergency is not martial law, adding, “This is a movement to clear terror members from state institutions to process democracy better.”

“The state of emergency law is a process of empowering governors more. The Turkish Armed Forces will serve the governors in provinces, and work with them. There is no any limitation on fundamental rights and freedoms during the state of emergency. We are the guarantors of it,” Erdoğan added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said the decision was for the proper and swift functioning of state mechanisms.
The premier also reiterated his call to citizens to not leave the streets.

“The conditions of the state of emergency will only be used for fighting the parallel structure,” Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş told reporters in Ankara.
“Our body has once again confirmed its commitment to democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms, and the rule of law. The steps to be taken afterward were also discussed,”a National Security Council and Cabinet statement said.

It added that the state of emergency was declared in order to implement measures to protect “citizens’ rights and freedoms, our democracy, and the rule of law.

“This state of emergency advisory jurisdiction is only for the purpose of eliminating threats to democracy, rights and freedoms, and the rule of law,” the statement said.
“The state of emergency is definitely not against democracy, the law, or freedoms, but it is aimed at protecting and reinforcing these values,” Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu tweeted.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Efkan Ala told Anadolu Agency that the decision would not cause any negative effects in the lives of Turkey’s citizens.