ABA calls on Turkey to follow rule of law; about 3,000 judges and prosecutors are targeted
ABA President Paulette Brown has issued a statement asking Turkey to ensure respect for the rule of law as it restores order after the thwarted coup attempt.
Brown’s statement expresses support for Turkey’s right to defend its democratically elected government, but it calls on the government to act with fairness and impartiality.
“While uncertain times can bring about confusion,” Brown said, “justice in accordance with procedural safeguards are an integral part of any democracy. We respectfully ask the government of Turkey to ensure fairness and impartiality in accordance with its own laws and international standards as it responds to the crisis.”
The Turkish government has been arresting or firing thousands of public employees, including more than 15,000 education workers and nearly 9,000 police officers, since the coup attempt on Friday, the Associated Press, Bloomberg and the BBC report.
President Barack Obama spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday, the White House said. He said the U.S. was committed to the democratically elected government but urged Turkey to respect due process rights.
The Irish Times reports that about 3,000 judges and prosecutors have been arrested, while the BBC says nearly 3,000 judges were suspended. An unnamed official told the Irish Times that some of the judges and prosecutors were believed to have helped plan the coup, some were on a list of individuals who would be appointed to important positions if the coup succeeded, and some were believed to have been in contact with coup organizers.
The Turkish government also shut down media outlets it believed to be supporting Fethullah Gulen, a cleric living in Pennsylvania. Turkey believes Gulen was responsible for the attempted coup; he has said he had nothing to do with it.
Turkey’s prime minister says the country has filed a request for Gulen’s extradition, USA Today reports.
