All Coup Participants in Turkey Detained, Will Be Punished: Turkish PM
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that all participants of a coup attempt in Turkey, including military and representatives of the Gulen movement, are detained and will be punished.
"All the plotters, representatives of the 'parallel state,' including in the Turkish Armed Forces, are in the hands of justice and will suffer severe punishment," Yildirim told reporters in Ankara.
He added that death penalty is not in the Turkish constitution, however, Ankara will consider legal changes to make sure a coup attempt never happens again. The Turkish Constitutional Court will consider introduction of death penalty, he added, according to Sputnik.
"Death penalty was abolished. However, necessary changes to prevent what happened today, can be made. Turkey's Constitutional Council, together with [parliamentary] parties will discuss this issue in the parliament."
He emphasized that a country where opposition cleric Gulen allegedly involved in the coup plot is residing "is not a friend of Turkey."
On Friday, the military coup attempt was carried out in Turkey. According to the Turkish General Staff, 104 coup supporters were killed, while 47 civilians, 41 police officers, 2 soldiers died in clashes. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Edrogan accused Turkish dissident Fethullah Gulen, an outspoken critic of the government in self-imposed exile in the United States, of organizing the unrest.
Turkey's leadership has no doubt that its Armed Forces are loyal and they will retain their positions, he said. "We have no doubt, that our top officers who did not support the coup are loyal to their duty, they showed their loyalty. They all will retain their positions."
Some 1,400 people were injured in the coup attempt, while 2,839 participants were arrested, Yildirim said. At least 161 people were killed during the military coup attempt, he added.
"We have 161 dead and 1440 injured. Furthermore, 20 put schists were killed and 30 were injured."
"Our [law enforcement] agencies will continue arrests of people, involved in coup attempt," Yildirim told reporters.
The Turkish prime minister said that the situation in Turkey is normalizing. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has no obstacles to return to the country, he added.
Yildirim called on the Turkish nationals to demonstrate on Saturday night to celebrate the triumph of democracy.