Turkey's foreign minister has accused the EU of caring for people who want to bring down Erdogan's government. The EU's foreign affairs chief has said she hopes Turkey will rectify its state of emergency crackdown.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/B. Ozbilici
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Senior EU officials have criticized Turkey's civil society crackdown in a tense exchange with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during a press conference in Ankara.
"Criminal and judicial proceedings must be based on the presumption of innocence," said Johannes Hahn, the EU's commissioner for European enlargement negotiations, on Thursday. "Journalists and civil society must be able to do their important work."
Since a failed coup in 2016, Turkey has extended a crackdown to include critical news outlets, jailing scores of journalists.
In his statement, Hahn referred to the case of Turkish rights activist Osman Kavala as well as 13 academics arrested last week. Turkish authorities have claimed they were involved in an attempt to unseat the government for allegedly supporting mass protests in 2013.
But Cavusoglu hit back at Hahn and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, saying the EU should stop defending people trying to bring down Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government.
"It is both meaningless and contradictory that the EU defends persons who said, 'I have done activities to overthrow the elected government in Turkey,' simply because they are [part of] civil society," said Cavusoglu.
of The 2016 coup attempt has strained relations between Ankara and Brussels, largely due to a wide-ranging crackdown by Turkish authorities that has seen politicians, academics and journalists jailed on terror-related charges.
"We are all very much aware of the marks left by the attempted coup in Turkey more than two years ago," Mogherini said. "The state of emergency is now behind us and I dare to hope that soon all related measures will be something of the past."
Night of terror: The failed coup attempt turned Turkey into a war zone. More than 260 people have died. Does the country face the threat of a civil war?
Image: Getty Images/E.Ortac
Bloodshed by the Bosphorus
A blood covered resident of Istanbul stands near the Bosphorus Bridge. There were clashes between civilians and the army after the military had blocked the bridge. Government sources say that more than 260 people were killed in fighting during the coup attempt.
Image: Getty Images/B.Kilic
Tanks roll through streets
Tanks drove through several cities in the night in a completely surprise move. The Turkish military announced its takeover. The tracked vehicles flattened cars in the streets of Istanbul and Ankara, turning the country into a war zone.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/T.Bozoglu
Lights out in parliament
After the bombing of parliament in Ankara, the building is in ruins. Fighter jets flew low over the capital and had the citizens panicking.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B.Uzun
Who owns the Republic Monument?
The army not only closed the Bosphorus Bridge: it also occupied Taksim Square, a main transportation hub in Istanbul. The soldiers positioned themselves in front of the Republic Monument.
Image: Reuters/M. Sezer
Icon of resistance
Erdogan supporters also protested on the square. A showdown began when a soldier pointed his gun at a man. The army opened fire on the protesting crowd on the square.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/U.O.Simsek/
The calm after the storm
Shirts off their backs: After the failed coup attempt, rebel soldiers laid down their arms on the Bosporus Bridge and fled.
Image: Getty Images/G.Tan
Put to flight
After the armed forces had surrendered, soldiers tried to get on a bus to flee from the angry masses.
Image: Reuters/M.Sezer
Cheering crowds
President Tayyip Erdogan returned to Istanbul. Cheering crowds received him at the airport. Erdogan announced that the rebels would pay a heavy price.
Image: Reuters/H.Aldemir
It's over!
Erdogan supporters triumph and wave the Turkish flag after the army's withdrawal. The coup attempt has failed.
Image: Getty Images/G.Tan
Posing on a tank
Bizarre souvenir: A mother took a picture of her daughter on top of a tank. The tank on the Bosphorus Bridge was surrounded by Turkish police.
