ANKARA (PNA/Xinhua) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday declared state of emergency for three months following a failed coup attempt on July 15.
“In the national security council meeting, we decided to propose the government to declare state of emergency according to article 120 of the constitution. The cabinet has decided to declare state of emergency for three months,” Erdogan said at a press conference after a cabinet meeting he chaired on Wednesday.
“This practice is not against democracy, law and freedom. In contrary, it’s for defending, extending and enhancing these values,” he added. “Declaring state of emergency aims to take steps for eliminating the risk posed against our citizens’ rights and freedoms, democracy, state of law in our country, in the most efficient and rapid way,” Erdogan said.