Trudeau preoccupied with Turkey’s coup response, urges respect for democracy
Posted Jul 20, 2016 12:22:29 PM.
Last Updated Jul 20, 2016 01:25:34 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada has told Turkey to respect the rule of law as it moves against the plotters of its failed coup.
Speaking in French today, Trudeau says he is preoccupied with the state of Turkey’s democracy, and that has been communicated to the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Turkish leader has moved swiftly against those he believes are responsible, firing 262 military court judges and prosecutors, tens of thousands of teachers, academics and government employees across several sectors.
Erdogan, who faced accusations of violating press freedom before the coup, also revoked the credentials of 34 journalists.
Erdogan blames U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen for sparking the coup, and says he is cracking down on his supporters in Turkish institutions.
Amnesty International is accusing Turkey of mounting a crackdown of “exceptional proportions” and called on the government respect human rights and freedom of expression.
