Mediaboss Marketing

After the first cabinet meeting under Turkey's new presidential system, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesmanIbrahim Kalin said Turkish authorities were considering lifting the state of emergency, which was imposed following a failed coup in July 2016.

"As of now, it is foreseen that the emergency rule be brought to an end on the 18th [of July] and the fight against terrorism will continue with current laws in place," Kalin said, although he added that in the event of an extraordinary threat, the state of emergency could be revived.

Read more: Opinion: A dark time for democracy in Turkey

After years of free market reforms, Turkey's transition slowly begins to reverse. Islamist Abdullah Gul's candidacy as president in 2007 marks a clear shift away from secularist policies, and strains relations between the ruling AKP and the military. However, with broad support from both conservative Muslims and liberals, the AKP wins the parliamentary elections and Gul is elected president.

Then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan tables a constitutional reform increasing parliamentary control of the judiciary and army, effectively allowing the government to pick judges and senior military officials. The amendment, which is combined with measures also aimed at protecting child rights and the strengthening the right to appeal, passed by a wide margin in a public referendum.

Pent-up anger directed by young people at Erdogan, Gul and the Islamist-rooted AKP hits a boiling point in May 2013. The violent police breakup of a small sit-in aimed at protecting Istanbul's Gezi Park spurs one of the fiercest anti-government protests in years. Eleven people are killed and more than 8,000 injured, before the demonstrations eventually peter out a month later.

A fragile ceasefire deal between the Turkish government and the Kurdish rebel PKK group breaks under the weight of tensions aggravated by the war in Syria. Military forces resume operations in the mostly Kurdish southeast of Turkey. In early 2016, the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) a breakaway PKK faction claim responsibility for two bombings in Ankara, each killing 38 people.

A military coup attempt against the government shakes Turkey to its core and briefly turns the country into a war zone. Some 260 civilians die in overnight clashes with the army across five major cities. Erdogan, however, rallies supporters and the following morning rebel soldiers are ambushed by thousands of civilians on the Bosporus Bridge. The troops eventually drop their guns and surrender.

In the aftermath of the failed coup, Erdogan announces a state of emergency, leading to arrests of tens of thousands of suspected coup sympathizers and political opponents. Among those detained are military and judiciary officials and elected representatives from the pro-Kurdish HDP party. The purge is later expanded to include civil servants, university officials and teachers.

As part of Erdogan's crackdown against supposed "terrorist sympathizers," Turkey becomes one of the world's leading jailers of journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders. The government shuts down around 110 media outlets in the year following the coup and imprisons more than 100 journalists, including German-Turkish correspondent Deniz Ycel.

With a referendum on expanding Erdogan's presidential powers set for April 2016, AKP officials look to galvanize support among Turks living in Europe, particularly in Germany and the Netherlands. However, the Netherlands forbids Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing in the country, while Germany opts to cancel two rallies. Erdogan accuses both countries of Nazi-style repression.

Erdogan narrowly wins the referendum vote expanding his power. As a result, Turkey's parliamentary system is abolished in favor of a strong executive presidency. Erdogan is also allowed to remain in power potentially until 2029. However, international election monitors claim that opposition voices were muzzled and that media coverage was dominated by figures from the "yes" campaign.

Erdogan secures a new five-year term and sweeping new executive powers after winning landmark elections on June 24. His AKP and their nationalist allies also win a majority in parliament. International observers criticize the vote, saying media coverage and emergency measures gave Erdogan and the AKP an "undue advantage" in the vote.

Author: David Martin

Gulen still blamed

Ankara blamesUS-based Islamic cleric and erstwhile Erdogan allyFethullah Gulenfor orchestrating the coup attempt. The state of emergencyhas been extendedseven times since coming into effect in 2016.

Over 70,000 people have been arrested in connection with the coup attempt and more than 110,000 people have been purged from the civil service and military. About 1,300 associations and foundations have been shut down under the measures.

Erdogan said earlier on Friday that there would be commemoration ceremonies in 81 provinces on Sunday to make the second anniversary of the coup attempt "unforgettable."

Erdogan,who is now both the head of state and government after the move to an executive presidency,promised if re-elected in the June 24 presidential elections that he would lift emergency rule.

jbh/sms (dpa, AFP)

View post:
Erdogan mulls lifting Turkey's state of emergency | DW | 13 ...