Army base protest as cities stay calm
THE streets of Turkey’s major cities were calm a day after politicians responded to an attempted coup by approving a three-month state of emergency that allows the government to extend detention times and issue decrees.
However, protesters went to the Etimesgut military base in Ankara and parked lorries and a bulldozer outside – possibly fearing tanks might try to leave. It was not clear what sparked the tension, and power to the base appeared to have been cut.
Parliament voted 346-115 to approve the national state of emergency, which gives sweeping new powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He has said the state of emergency will counter threats to Turkish though critics are urging restraint because they fear the measure would violate basic freedoms.
Even without the emergency measures, Turkey has already imposed a crackdown that has included mass arrests, multiple sackings and the closure of hundreds of schools.
Mr Erdogan said the new powers would allow the government to rid the military of the “virus” of subversion and has blamed the July 15 coup attempt on a US-based Muslim cleric, Fethullah Gulen.
The cleric has denied any knowledge of the attempted coup.
Those recently targeted in the crackdown include prominent journalist Orhan Kemal Cengiz and his wife, Sibel Hurtas, who were detained at Istanbul’s main international airport.