Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday lambasted former President Abdullah Gül for his call on the government to revise a new state of emergency decree that gives immunity to civilians who take part in thwarting coup and terror incidents, saying “Shame on you!” the Diken news website reported.
“Are not we friends for a common cause? How could you embark on the boat of Kemal [the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]? Shame on you!” said Erdoğan during a Justice and Development Party (AKP) meeting in Kastamonu province.
According to Article 121 of decree No. 696, which was released on Dec. 24, regardless of an official title or duties or the lack thereof, people who played a role in the suppression of a failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016 and subsequent events and terrorist activities will be exempt from criminal liability.
“The ambiguity that does not comply with legal parlance in the text of state of emergency decree No. 696, which I think was released to protect the hero citizens who took to the streets to resist a traitorous coup attempt on July 15, is worrisome in terms of a state of law,” Gül said in a tweet.
“I hope to see its revision in order to avoid giving an opportunity to events and developments that could sadden all of us,” he added.
Erdoğan’s reprimand is also considered to be targeting Bülent Arınç, one of the founders of the AKP, who retweeted Gül’s tweet.