The State of Emergency Procedures Investigation Commission announced on Friday that it had made its first decisions regarding the reinstatement of civil servants who were dismissed under emergency rule decrees issued in the wake of a coup attempt in Turkey last July, the state-run Anadolu new agency reported.
According to the report a total of 103,276 former public sector staff members have applied to be reinstated to their jobs since May 22, after being fired in the aftermath of the July 2016 failed coup.
The report did not provide any information as to the number of applicants who were successful in appealing their dismissals.
Applicants who have been cleared of accusations will be reinstated to their former positions within 15 days, the report said. People whose appeals were rejected will be able to take their cases to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK).
Turkey has suspended or dismissed more than 150,000 judges, teachers, police and civil servants since July 15, 2016 through government decrees issued as part of the ongoing state of emergency, part of a witch-hunt targeting members of the faith-based Gülen movement, accused by the government of orchestrating the failed coup.
The commission was established by a decree-law issued on Jan. 23 to allow civil servants to appeal legal action taken against them under the state of emergency and accepts complaints regarding dismissal from the civil service, jobs or organizations; dismissal from university and the loss of student status; the closure of associations, organizations, unions, federations, confederations, private health institutions, private education institutions, private institutions of higher education, private radio and TV organizations, newspapers and magazines, news agencies, publication houses and distribution channels; and the loss of retiree ranking.
It consists of seven members along with a team of 200 including inspectors, legal experts, accountants, investigatory judges and transcribers.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) came under fire for rejecting applications concerning post-coup purges in Turkey on the grounds that domestic remedies had not been exhausted.
Turkey’s Ministry of Justice said with the establishment of the commission, 12,600 cases awaiting review at the ECtHR were dropped by the court.