Erdogan continues to control judiciary, arresting 21 citizens released by court

CAIRO - 12 January 2020: The Turkish authorities issued a new arrest warrant for 21 citizens, accusing them of trying to take control of the Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul, during the alleged coup attempt on July 15, 2016, according to Turkey Now.

The 24 people, who were accused by the Turkish authorities of trying to seize the airport during the coup attempt, were retried, after cassation decisions issued by the Supreme Court.

Some 21 of the accused were released, however, based on the objection of the Public Prosecutor and the Presidential Attorney, who were an interfering party in the case; the 23rd High Criminal Court in Istanbul decided to arrest the 21 accused again.

Egypt’s United National Organization for Human Rights said in 2019 that the Turkish President had violated human rights of the Turkish people as nearly 10,000 citizens had been forcibly disappeared, the largest number worldwide.

In an interview with Egypt Today published on Thursday, Mohamed Abdel Na’eem, chairman of the organization, said that Turkish authorities have arrested thousands of people by a direct order from Erdogan after the attempted coup d'état against him in 2016.

“Erdogan also ordered arresting and torturing journalists, judges, policemen and activists,” Abdel Na’eem said, adding that most of the allegations they face are false or political.

Egypt and Turkey, since the ousting of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, who was also the leader of the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, have held strained relations, and have exchanged allegations. The Egyptian foreign ministry and subordinate bodies have worked to refute most of Erodgan’s claims about human rights abuses in Egypt.