Turkey fires 1,519 Imams in crackdown on opposition

CAIRO – 7 August2017: Amid the intensive security and administrative measures related to the extended state of emergency, Turkey dismissed about 1,519 Imams and staffers from the Directorate of Religious Affairs over alleged links to terrorism on Sunday.

In line with the extension of the state of emergency that has been in effect since last July’s failed military coup, the recent decision is not the first of its kind as Turkish people suffer a continuous crackdown led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on state employees over alleged links to opposition.

According to Turkish media, the dismissals included workers in the Education Ministry, deans and staffers from universities, the Finance Ministry, security personnel, judges, prosecutors, religious figures and others. The total number of people dismissed, detained, or placed under investigation now exceeds 100,000.

Erdogan also ordered the closure of 131 media organizations and issued arrest warrants for at least 89 journalists and other media personnel with alleged links to the coup plot.

The Turkish operations are described as an attempt towards the government's aim of bringing down the movement led by the American-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic preacher seen as the mastermind of the attempted government takeover a year ago.