France warns Erdogan over using coup as ‘blank check’ for oppression
France has cautioned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan not to use a recent failed coup in the country as a ‘‘blank check” to gag his opponents.
“There cannot be purges. The state must be able to function. Those who tried to violate Turkish democracy must be pursued within the framework of the rule of law. It’s not for an arbitrary power to carry it out, it’s democracy which must thrive, be reinforced,” said French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault during a speech on French television on Sunday.
Ayrault also questioned Turkey’s viability as a partner in the battle against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, adding that the subject will be debated at an upcoming anti-terrorist coalition summit, slated for next week in the US.
“There are issues. On one hand, it is reliable, on the other hand, there are also suspicions, to be honest," he said, adding, "We will clearly pose questions on fighting Daesh even more decisively."
On Saturday, Turkey announced that it had managed to largely crush an attempted military coup launched by an army faction after a night of explosions, gunfire and tanks rolling along the streets of the capital Ankara and the main city of Istanbul.
Following the botched coup Turkey launched an intensive crackdown on the judiciary and the military, with over 6,000 people reportedly arrested over the uprising.
Fierce clashes erupted between army forces and the soldiers involved in the foiled coup.
According to a latest report by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the death toll from Turkey’s failed military coup has risen to more than 290. Over 1,400 people have also been wounded.
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