Erdogan ready to sign law on death penalty
By Gunay Hasanova
The huge rally to mark the defeat of the July 15 attempted coup was another blow for Turkey’s enemies, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday, Anadolu reported.
Speaking at the Democracy and Martyrs' Rally in Istanbul's Yenikapi district, he said: “Our presence today upsets our enemies just like it did on the morning of July 16.
Prevention of the military coup in Turkey proved that this country is invincible, said Erdogan, speaking at a rally in Istanbul, Anadolu reports.
Erdogan stressed the importance of people's solidarity in confronting the challenges facing the country.
The events on July 15 proved that Turkey can withstand not only the political, economic and diplomatic challenges, but also military sabotage.
"Turkey would now take a “path in solidarity” in the future," he said.
Erdogan said that he will support the demand to impose the death penalty in respect of attempts to seize power by force in the country.
“Everyone knows that the power in this country without questioning belongs to the people, and the citizens require punishment. However, the Court, which is considering this demand, is Grand National Assembly (Parliament) of Turkey. If Parliament decides so, then further measures will be taken. If it is approved, I openly declare that I will sign this law,” said President Erdogan.
Moreover, Erdogan criticized EU officials who said there was no death penalty in the EU, of which Turkey is a candidate nation, countering that capital punishment in the United States, Japan and China.
“Today there is the death penalty in the majority of the world,” he said, adding that capital punishment had been legal in Turkey until 2004, though the last execution took place in 1984.
A group of servicemen made an attempt for a military coup in Turkey on July 15. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities stated on a failure of the attempt for military coup.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246 people excluding the coup plotters and over 2,000 people were wounded.
Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.
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