Turkey sacks over 18,000 state employees in new decree

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Turkish authorities have dismissed over 18,000 state employees including police officers, soldiers and academics, in a decree published on Sunday.

According to the Official Gazette, the 18,632 that had been sacked include almost 9,000 police officers over suspected links to terror organizations and groups that "act against national security."

Some 6,000 soldiers were also dismissed.

October 4, 2017: Defendant Ahmet Kocan (C), who is charged with attempting to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as part of the defeated July 15, 2016, coup, is taken to prison under heavy security measures at the Mugla Chamber of Commerce and Industry's conference hall in Mugla, Turkey. /VCG Photo

Authorities also sacked 199 academics, while 148 state employees from the military and ministries were reinstated.

Turkey has been under a state of emergency since the July 2016 attempted coup.

Turkish media dubbed the decree as the "last" with officials indicating the state of emergency could end as early as Monday.

The emergency has been renewed seven times and the latest period is officially due to end on July 19.

In this file photo taken on July 18, 2016, Turkish cleric and opponent to the Erdogan government, Fethullah Gülen, addresses at his residence in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, on allegations by the Turkish government about his involvement in the attempted July 15 coup. /VCG Photo

Over 110,000 public sector employees have been removed previously from their jobs via emergency decrees since July 2016 while tens of thousands more have been suspended.

Turkey accuses US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating the attempted coup. The majority of those fired under the emergency are accused of links to Gulen.

Gulen strongly denies any coup links and insists his movement is a peaceful organization. Sunday's decree shut down 12 associations across the country as well as three newspapers and a television channel.

(Cover photo: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, March 30, 2018. /VCG Photo)

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Source(s): AFP