As part of an ongoing witch-hunt against the Gülen movement, 35 high-ranking officials from the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeals were detained on Wednesday.
The move came after the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) dismissed 2.847 judges and prosecutors for alleged links to the movement the same day.
Hundreds of Turkish judges and prosecutors along with at least two Constitutional Court judges were suspended or arrested several days after the July 15 coup attempt.
Turkey’s courts have put at least 1,684 judges and prosecutors in pretrial detention in the aftermath of the failed coup, Human Rights Watch announced.
“Jailing judges without even the pretense of due process will cause profound damage to Turkey’s justice system for years to come,” said Emma Sinclair-Webb, Turkey director at Human Rights Watch. “Bypassing the rule of law is no way to protect it.”
There are 14.661 prosecutors and judges working as part of the Turkish justice system.
A total of 81,494 people have been purged from state bodies, 40,029 detained and 20,355 arrested since the coup attempt. Arrestees include journalists, judges, prosecutors, police and military officers, academics, governors and even a comedian.