The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Tuesday took some articles of government decree No. 669, issued during a state of emergency declared in the wake of a failed military coup in July, to the country’s Constitutional Court for cancellation.
In accordance with decree No. 669, which was issued on July 31, war academies, military high schools and NCO high schools were shut down and the Gülhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) and military hospitals across Turkey were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Health Ministry. The emergency decree also brought the land, naval and air forces under Defense Ministry supervision.
The CHP previously took government decree No. 668 to the Constitutional Court for cancellation on Sept. 23. In line with decree No. 668, Turkey’s gendarmerie and coast guard were subordinated to the Interior Ministry, while 1,684 military officers were expelled from their posts in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) due to alleged links to the faith-based Gülen movement.
Turkish authorities claim Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who lives in Pennsylvania and whose views inspired the Gülen movement, was the mastermind of the violent coup attempt that killed over 240 people and injured a thousand others on July 15, while Gülen strongly denies any involvement.
The Turkish government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have designated the faith-based Gülen movement, operating charities, schools and businesses around the world, as a terrorist organization and have launched a widespread crackdown on suspected members since the failed coup.
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said in an earlier statement that the government decrees, which have the force of law, contravene the Constitution, and therefore need to be cancelled, while government officials claim government decrees cannot be challenged at the Constitutional Court.
CHP deputy group chairman Levent Gök said on Sept 23 that his party would also take other government decrees to the top court for cancellation.
More than 100,000 people have been purged from state jobs over alleged links to the Gülen movement through controversial post-coup decrees.