UN urges Turkey adhere to rule of law after coup attempt

NEW YORK

The UN has urged Turkish authorities to ''do their utmost'' to uphold constitution and human rights in the wake of a recent coup attempt.

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon ''takes note of the repeated assurances by senior Turkish government officials regarding full adherence to the rule of law and due process when investigating and prosecuting those deemed to be responsible for the attempted coup of 15-16 July,'' the statement said Thursday.

"The Secretary-General urges the Turkish authorities, consistent with the assurances given, to do their utmost to ensure that the constitutional order and international human rights law are fully respected, in line with Turkey's international obligations," it added.

Ankara declared a three-month state of emergency Thursday following what President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called "the most treacherous armed coup attempt in modern Turkish history".

At least 246 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, were martyred in Istanbul and Ankara, and more than 1,500 others were wounded as they protested the coup attempt.

Turkey's government said the attempted coup was organized by followers of Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming the so-called “parallel state.”

Turkey submitted a formal extradition request for Gulen earlier this week.