Turkey orders institutions linked to exiled cleric to close
ISTANBUL— The Turkish government ordered the closing of organizations linked to the alleged mastermind of the failed coup on July 15, while ministers continued to reassure foreign leaders and investors that the country isn’t backsliding on democracy and economic reforms.
The decree, published in the Official Gazette, closes schools, hospitals, foundations, associations, unions and confederations linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Under the three-month state of emergency approved Thursday, the decrees has the force of law and can’t be appealed. The groups’ assets were ordered seized.
The purge of supposed Gulen supporters has ensnared more than 50,000 people, who have lost their jobs or were suspended, or were detained. What began as an effort to root out members of the military and security forces directly involved in the coup attempt has been extended to eliminate the Gulen movement’s influence from education, academia and the civil service. The cleansing brought calls for restraint from Turkey’s allies and upset investors concerned about the effect of political instability on Turkey’s economy.
Turkish ministers insist the state of emergency is aimed solely at those associated with the coup, that life for ordinary people won’t be affected and that economic reforms will continue.
“I want to say that despite what has happened a week ago in Turkey, that we will continue to strongly adhere to democratic principles and apply the rule of law,” Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said at a meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers in Chengdu, China. “Not much really has changed; I know there are question marks.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew met Simsek at the G-20 and said in a statement afterward that the U.S. supports Turkey’s elected government. He encouraged it to “pursue the investigation into the coup in a way that reinforces public confidence in democratic institutions and promotes economic stability.”
Turkey is calling on the U.S. to extradite Gulen. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that the U.S. has offered to send a team to Turkey, or host a Turkish delegation, to assist the processing of the request. But he said that “if there is an extradition request, it’s got to be based on evidence, not just allegations.”
Gulen has denied ordering the coup, in which more than 200 people died.
According to the Turkish presidency, the decree published Saturday will close 1,043 schools, 1,229 charities and foundations, 19 unions, 15 universities and 35 medical institutions. It also extends permitted detention to 30 days from a normal maximum of four days. Parliament will vote on the measures, the president’s office said.