Turkey sacks over 300 police officials
8 Jan 2014 6:17 AM IST
The officers were sacked by a government decree published at midnight and included chiefs of the financial crimes, anti-smuggling, cyber crime and organised crime units, the private Dogan News Agency reported.
The move comes as the government is trying to contain the massive political fallout from the graft probe that has become the biggest threat to Erdogan’s 11-year rule ahead of local elections in March. The turmoil has added to pressures on the already volatile economy, with the national currency plunging to all-time lows as investors become spooked.
Erdogan has branded the investigation a ‘dirty’ plot to try to topple his government, blaming supporters of a powerful exiled Muslim cleric who wields considerable influence in the judiciary.
Dozens of leading businessmen and political figures - including the sons of three ministers - were rounded up in a massive sweep in Ankara and Istanbul in December.
The once-unassailable Turkish strongman responded by sacking hundreds of police officials across the country, including the powerful Istanbul police chief. Erdogan’s critics accuse him of desperately trying to protect his cronies, and the appointment of Selami Altinok, a little-known governor with no background in police work, as Istanbul’s new police chief was further seen as an attempt to shut down the investigation.
The move comes as the government is trying to contain the massive political fallout from the graft probe that has become the biggest threat to Erdogan’s 11-year rule ahead of local elections in March. The turmoil has added to pressures on the already volatile economy, with the national currency plunging to all-time lows as investors become spooked.
Erdogan has branded the investigation a ‘dirty’ plot to try to topple his government, blaming supporters of a powerful exiled Muslim cleric who wields considerable influence in the judiciary.
Dozens of leading businessmen and political figures - including the sons of three ministers - were rounded up in a massive sweep in Ankara and Istanbul in December.
The once-unassailable Turkish strongman responded by sacking hundreds of police officials across the country, including the powerful Istanbul police chief. Erdogan’s critics accuse him of desperately trying to protect his cronies, and the appointment of Selami Altinok, a little-known governor with no background in police work, as Istanbul’s new police chief was further seen as an attempt to shut down the investigation.
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