A lot of people are understandably
worried about recent events in Turkey and there has been a lot written in the
British press, some of which is incorrect or at best vague. There was indeed an attempted coup on 15 July
but it was carried out by a relatively limited group within the military and
was quickly overwhelmed by the majority who opposed them.
The government believes the plot was
led by supporters of Fetullah Gulen, an Islamist scholar who lives in the US
but has remained active in Turkey through his network of schools and
universities and his large following. Incidentally, until a few years ago the ruling
AK party and Gulen were allies!
Now, afraid that he is controlling
things from afar via a “parallel state” consisting of his followers, they have removed
50,000 people they believe to be “Gulenists” from their jobs in education, the
judiciary and other areas.
Last Wednesday a state of emergency
(SofE) was passed by the government with the stated aim of restoring democracy. While a SofE can be declared by any country
in response to a major threat – France introduced one following the Paris bombs
and has just extended it to January 2017 – the specific areas covered may
vary. So what does the SofE in Turkey
cover and how will it affect expats and holiday-makers?
The president and the deputy PM have
said that the SoE will be
exclusively used to repair the damage of the coup attempt to the Turkish system
and they aim to reach their targets within “45-50 days”. The state of
emergency declared in Turkey includes increased rights to search people,
vehicles and property, an extension of the police detention period, censorship
of media and the right to close businesses.
The President has stated that this
situation will not affect the lives of everyday citizens and it is even less
likely to affect any foreign citizens here.
The only thing that residents should make sure to do is carry some form
of ID (note: this has always been compulsory for Turkish citizens). This can be a passport, a right to reside or
e-visa, or a good colour photo copy.
There have been some positive elements
to come out of the turmoil. The
anti-coup protesters who took to the streets even before the Presidents’ call
for action came from all classes and political groups. Similarly there have
been signs of reconciliation between the Government and opposition. When the opposition CHP announced its
intention to hold yesterday’s pro-democracy rally, the Government supported the
move and even extended free public transport.
It helps to remember that Turkey is going to be doing its best now to
improve its image and regain the confidence of foreign visitors and foreign
investors and that means making people here feel relaxed and welcome!
