Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a three-month state of emergency for Turkey following a failed coup attempt over the weekend.
The state of emergency will give broad powers to security forces and the government. Erdogan says it will make it more efficient to round up, question and try people accused of supporting the coup.
“Erdogan says its necessary to protect the rule of law and democracy, but he also made clear these would be used extensively against the Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former ally now accused of fomenting this failed coup,” NPR reports.
According to NPR about 10,000 people are accused of supporting the coup, and 50,000 or more accused of backing Gulen. And under the state of emergency, laws could be passed to grant new powers to the government.