CNN underlined massive purges a month after the July 15 coup attempt in Turkey, which claimed the lives of 240 people and 40 coup plotters. President Erdogan defended purges by saying that they are necessary to clean enemies of state but many in the international community have condemned massive purges as a “witch hunt” and expressed concern that his government have used the coup attempt to target opposition and jail dissidents.
According to the file prepared by CNN, 35 022 people were detained. 5,685 people remain in custody but have yet to go before a judge. The crackdown has not been confined to arrests and detentions. More than 81,000 people have been fired or suspended from their jobs.
Turkish authorities have stripped the country’s security forces, arresting at least 5,226 military personnel, and seizing as many as 151 generals and admirals — a third of the general-rank command of the Turkish military. 3,672 officials removed in the Presidency of Religious Affairs. 1,577 university deans have been asked to resign. A total of 89 warrants have been issued for journalists in the country to date.
Suspects can be detained for up to 30 days without charge under a new presidential decree issued in the wake of the foiled revolution. The directive also allows the government to listen in on all conversations suspects have with their legal representation. A state of emergency has also been sanctioned. Allegations of torture and rape of coup plotters have also emerged, according to human rights groups. Amnesty International says detainees face grim conditions including beatings, lack of access to food, water and lawyers amid calls for independent monitors to assess conditions. Here is the CNN’s list on number of people affected by the purges.
42,767 people in the Ministry of Education including 21,738 suspended government workers and 21,029 public staff education members
- 8,777 Ministry of Interior personnel
- 2,745 judges and prosecutors have been listed for detention
- 3,000 soldiers — including 87 generals
- 1,577 university deans have been asked to resign
- 1,389 military personnel from the Turkish Armed Forces
- 3,672 officials removed in the Presidency of Religious Affairs
- 673 staff members at the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Stockbreeding
- 599 officials from the Family and Social Policies Ministry
- 560 Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology personnel
- 529 Ministry of Transportation officials
- 500 officials at the Ministry of Finance
- 300 Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources staff
- 300 TRT employees
- 257 officials removed from duty in the Prime Minister’s Office
- 265 Ministry of Youth and Sports workers
- 262 military judges and prosecutors
- 221 officials Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs
- 211 Turkish Airlines contracts have been terminated
- 184 Ministry of Customs and Commerce officials
- 180 Ministry of Labor and Social Security personnel
- 167 staff members at the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation
- 110 Ministry of Culture and Tourism employees
- 100 Turkish intelligence service personnel
- 86 people removed at the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency
- 86 staff dismissed at Ministry of Foreign Affairs including removal of Central Ambassadors Gurcan Balik and Tuncay Babali
- 82 Development Ministry workers
- 51 people at the Istanbul Stock Exchange while 36 have been terminated at the Capital Market Council
- 36 Energy Market Regulatory employees
- 29 Radio and Television Supreme Council workers
- 22 employees at the Housing Development Administration of Turkey
- 21 Turkish Statistical Institute workers
- 15 Ministry of Economy staff members
- 2 general directors, 1 deputy director general, and 5 department heads at Treasury