Follow Us on Google
Turkey needs a new constitution which would ensure “checks and balances” on every branch of government, Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic preacher has said.
Gulen, who has been living in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999, is accused by Ankara of masterminding
the failed coup attempt that took place in 2016.
“Turkey needs a new constitution that can ensure checks and balances on every branch of the government preventing the domination of any segment of the population by a minority or the majority,” Gulen said.
On April 16, Turkey held a referendum, with over 51 per cent of voters supporting the proposed constitutional amendments that expanded presidential powers over the legislature and the judiciary.
The referendum was followed by a series of protests throughout the country.
The opposition had demanded that the referendum results be canceled, but the Supreme Electoral Council rejected the appeal and approved the final results of the vote.
The incident left over 240 people killed and some 2,000 injured.
After the failed military takeover, Ankara introduced a national state of emergency, facilitating waves of arrests across the country.
The detentions mainly target officials, and legal and educational workers over their alleged ties to the Gulen movement, which is commonly referred to by Ankara as the Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organisation.
After the failed coup attempt, Erdogan demanded Gulen’s extradition, while the preacher has repeatedly condemned the attempt to overthrow the Turkish leadership and denied Ankara’s allegations. (NAN)
