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STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN TURKEY
FOLLOWING THE COUP ATTEMPT ON 15 JULY 2016
Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETÖ) has staged a coup attempt in Turkey on 15
July 2016. This bloody attempt against the democratically-elected Government as
well as against the constitutional order was defeated by the Turkish State, through its
resolve, acting together with its people and security forces. Despicable murderers
attacked civilian people, crushed the democracy defenders on the streets under tank
palettes, and even bombed the Turkish Parliament, the Grand National Assembly of
Turkey. 246 Turkish citizens lost their lives and 2,185 were wounded.
In order to fight against the FETÖ terrorist organisation in a comprehensive and
effective manner which poses a grave threat to survival and security of the nation
through its clandestine infiltration to state mechanisms, the Council of Ministers of
Turkey decided on 20 July 2016 that a nationwide state of emergency be declared as
from 21 July 2016 for a period of ninety days, pursuant to Article 120 of the
Constitution and Article 3 § 1 (b) of the Law on the State of Emergency (Law No.
2935).
The Council of Ministers took this decision in its meeting under the chairmanship of
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in view of the recommendation dated 20 July
2016, No. 498 of the National Security Council. The decision was endorsed by the
Turkish Parliament on 21 July 2016.
The purpose of the state of emergency is to take required measures in the most
speedy and effective manner in the fight against FETÖ terrorist organisation in order
to save the nation from this ferocious terror network and return to normalcy as soon
as possible. Meanwhile, utmost care will will be maintained with a view to upholding
democracy standards as well as respecting the fundamental rights of citizens.
State of emergency is a measure regulated by the Turkish Constitution and relevant
national legislation and also a practice permissible under international human rights
law, including the European Convention on Human Rights.
During the period prior to 15 July 2016 when Turkey faced the coup attempt, the
Turkish Government carried out its counter-terrorism operations against PKK and
DAESH terrorist organisations in severe conditions without declaring a state of
emergency. The Government spared no effort to carry out the measures in
compliance with standards of the European Human Rights regime. Yet, in the face of
grave and violent attacks against the national security and FETÖ terrorist
organisation’s widespread infiltration, as closely manifested during its coup attempt
on 15 July 2016, the declaration of the state of emergency was deemed necessary.