UN rights chief urges Turkey to respect law after abortive coup

The United Nations human rights chief has called on Turkey to abide by the rule of law in the wake of a relentless crackdown on those suspected of being involved in a recent failed military coup.

In a statement released on Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein expressed "serious alarm" at the mass suspension of Turkish judges and prosecutors over the botched putsch.

Turkey should “respond by upholding the rule of law, by strengthening the protection of human rights and by reinforcing democratic institutions," Zeid said, adding, "Those responsible for the violence must be brought to justice with full respect for fair trial standards.”

Independent observers should be allowed to visit detention centers in Turkey while detainees must have access to lawyers and their families, he further said, noting that it is "particularly crucial to ensure that human rights are not squandered in the name of security.”

The abortive coup began late on July 15 when a faction of the Turkish military declared it was in control of the country and the government was no more in charge.

Tanks, helicopters, and soldiers then clashed with police and people on the streets of the capital, Ankara, and Istanbul.

More than 300 people were killed on all sides in the attempted coup d’état that was gradually suppressed.

Turkish authorities have detained over 7,500 people so far in a massive crackdown and sacked nearly 9,000 people from their posts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to approve the revival of the death penalty if the parliament opts to reintroduce the measure.

The restoration of the death penalty, which was annulled in Turkey in 2004 under reforms aimed at joining the European Union (EU), would be meant to allow the execution of those believed to have been involved in the coup.

Elsewhere in his statement, the UN rights official voiced regret that high-level Turkish officials have suggested that capital punishment may be reinstated.

"Reintroduction of the death penalty would be in breach of Turkey's obligations under international human rights law - a big step in the wrong direction," Zeid said.

In another development on Tuesday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim emphasized that his country will adhere to the rule of law and will not be motivated by a desire for revenge in its prosecution of suspected coup plotters.

"One mistake cannot be corrected with another mistake. Turkey is a state with law. We are setting things right within the framework of the law. Those who committed wrong will face the Turkish justice system," Yildirim said.

Touching on the case of Fethullah Gulen, who has been blamed for the coup plot, he said that Turkey will remove the US-based cleric’ movement "by its roots" so it can never betray the Turkish people.

Turkey had sent four dossiers to the US on Gulen’s alleged links to the coup plot, the premier added, vowing to inundate US authorities with evidence of the cleric's wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said that Ankara has demanded that Washington detain Gulen because all evidence points to him being the mastermind of the attempted military putsch.

"We have more than enough evidence, more than you could ask for, on Gulen. There is no need to prove the coup attempt, all evidence shows that the coup attempt was organized on his will and orders," Bozdag said.

Also on Tuesday, Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate, known as Diyanet, said in a statement that it has removed 492 staff from duty for alleged involvement in the abortive coup.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency also reported that 257 people working at the office of the premier have been dismissed and their identification seized.

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