![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
. | ![]() |
. |
![]() by Staff Writers Ankara, Turkey (AFP) Aug 9, 2016
Turkey suspended over 2,500 more staff from the powerful religious affairs state agency on Tuesday in the latest purge after last month's failed coup blamed on US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen. The religious affairs directorate, Diyanet, said in a statement that 2,560 people have been suspended in the latest wave, bringing the total dismissed to 3,672 since July 15. Diyanet, which is directly linked to the prime minister's office, was established in 1924 to control religion in officially secular modern Turkey. The agency has a budget larger than many ministries including health and takes care of close to 80,000 mosques in the predominantly Muslim country. It has 100,000 personnel including imams but Diyanet did not give details of those dismissed. Diyanet said "the commission created for this purpose (to find Gulen sympathisers) continued its rigorous work". The reclusive cleric is accused by Ankara of ordering the coup in which a rogue military faction tried to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power without success. Gulen, who is the leader of the Hizmet "service" movement, strongly denies the accusations and his lawyer said on Friday Turkey had failed to provide "a scintilla" of proof to support its claims. Since July 15, tens of thousands of people from the military, judiciary, civil service and education suspected of links with the movement have been dismissed from their jobs or detained. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Tuesday around 16,000 had already been remanded in custody ahead of trial while another 6,000 people were in detention awaiting initial court hearings. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 25,000 new teachers and police officers would be employed after the purge to fill gaps created in state institutions.
Related Links Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |