Turkey votes to implement state of emergency

THE Turkish parliament has endorsed sweeping new powers for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that allow him to expand a crackdown in the wake of last week’s failed coup.

Earlier the Government announced plans to suspend the European Human Rights Convention in line with an article within the agreement allowing for suspension in time of emergencies.

Legislators in the 550-member parliament voted 356-115 to approve a three-month state of emergency across Turkey.

Mr Erdogan had earlier said the new powers will give his government the tools it needs to rid the military of the “virus” of subversion.

Deputy PM Mehmet Simsek said the state of emergency will be used to act swiftly against the perpetrators of the coup.

He insisted the state of emergency will be different to those imposed in the country previously and that the rule of law will be upheld.

“We will use it in a fashion closer to our allies like France and others,” he said.

He said the government will go after “rogue” elements within the state as he warned there could have been “carnage in the streets” had the coup succeeded.

“We owe it to our people to go after them. We will have a legal framework for it.”

The state of emergency will see a crackdown which has already included mass arrests and the closure of hundreds of schools stepped up.

Earlier on Thursday, Turkish state media said a further 32 judges and two military officers had been detained by authorities.