Turkey extends state of emergency

ANKARA

Turkey's state of emergency will be extended for another three months, the government said Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus made the announcement following a Cabinet meeting.

Kurtulmus told reporters that ministers decided the state of emergency would be extended as of Jan. 19 for 90 days, with parliament’s approval.

He attributed the reason for the extension to the presence in public institutions of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) that the government accuses of staging an attempted government overthrow in July.

“The clearance of FETO elements from the state has not yet been completed. We need the application of the state of emergency until the end of the clearing of FETO and all terror groups in state,” he said.

After the July 15 deadly coup attempt that martyred more than 240 people and injured nearly 2,200 others, Turkey declared a state of emergency July 20.

According to the Constitution, a state of emergency can be declared for a maximum of six months, but can also be extended as needed.

Parliament must ratify the measure, and the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party has a comfortable majority for passage.

To enact the state of emergency, the government must see serious indications of widespread violence that could interfere with Turkey's democratic environment or its citizens' basic rights and freedoms as established by the Constitution.