Issuance of Arrest Warrants for Dozens of Former Officials in Connection with Turkey's Failed Coup

Turkish television network CNN Türk reported on Thursday, August 17, that Turkish authorities have issued dozens of additional arrest warrants related to last year's coup attempt in the country. Reuters, citing this television network, stated that Turkish officials issued arrest warrants for 70 'former employees of the Ministry of Finance' on Thursday. The charges against these individuals are related to their connection with the failed coup of last summer. Since the failed coup, which resulted in nearly 250 deaths, thousands have been arrested and imprisoned in Turkey, many others have lost their jobs, and hundreds are awaiting their trials. Reuters reported that the number of dismissals from both the public and private sectors in Turkey is around 150,000, and the number of detainees exceeds 50,000. Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish cleric currently residing in the United States who previously had a friendship and collaboration with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is accused of leading last year's failed coup. Gülen has responded by stating that he has no connection to this event and instead holds Erdoğan responsible for the coup. Thus, 70 more individuals join the tens of thousands who have been detained in Turkey over the past year. Last week, a Turkish news agency also reported the issuance of arrest warrants for 35 people, including several journalists, on charges of connection to the failed coup. The official Anadolu Agency identified the main target of these new warrants as the 'media branch of the [Fethullah] Gülen network.' The ongoing arrests and dismissals in Turkey under Erdoğan's orders, particularly targeting journalists and media personnel, have raised serious concerns among media rights organizations and some of Turkey's Western allies, including Germany.