Turkey orders nearly 1,000 arrests ahead of coup anniversary

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A decade after the failed 2016 coup attempt, Turkish prosecutors have ordered the arrest of over 1,000 people for alleged ties to the movement accused by Ankara for planning the revolt, authorities said Monday.

According to Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, the nationwide operation focused on people associated with the banned Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), led by the late Muslim preacher Fethullah Gülen. Ankara has long accused Gülen and his followers of masterminding the failed coup, which the movement has constantly denied.

The arrests came just days before the July 15 anniversary of the attempted military coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government. Before the attempt was suppressed, the violence claimed the lives of over 250 individuals and injured over 2,000.

Turkey has conducted extensive investigations, arrested, and fired military people, judges, teachers, police officers, and government servants accused of having connections to the Gülen movement since the attempted coup. Human rights organisations have consistently denounced the scale of the crackdown, but the Turkish government claims that the actions are required to preserve national security.