By Ben Kerrigan
Over 8,000 police officers have been sacked by Turkish authorities in connection with last weekend’s failed coup.
6,000 members of the judiciary were first rounded up as part of the crack down against forces that collaborated together in an attempt to achieve the failed coup.
Turkish president, Erdogan, has promised to punish all those responsible, and at one point claimed he was considering reintroducing the death penalty. 8,000 police officers arrested is a large number of officers.
It simply doesn’t look good on the government that so many officers and members of the judiciary plotted to overthrow the government.
The death penalty was abolished in 2004, as part of Turkey’s plans to join the EU. However, the White House has urged Turkey not to abandon the rule of law, and to respect the democratic process.
Eight members of the military alleged to have been among conspirators who tried to tipple Erdogan’s government, fled to Greece by jet but were arrested there for arriving in Greece illegally.
Turkey has requested their extradition but the militants have taken asylum there. The Turkish government really need to take an inward look at their policies and operations, in order to get to grips with the cause of the embarrassing coup attempt in which hundreds of lives were lost.
Picture- Giuseppe Milo (www.pixael.com) via Foter.com / CC BY-NC