Responding to threats by the European Union to suspend Turkey’s accession talks if it reinstates the death penalty, Erdogan told Al Jazeera, in his first interview with an Arab channel since the attempted coup on Friday, July 15, 2016: “The world does not consist solely of the European Union. The death penalty exists in America, Russia and China. If the Turkish people decide to approve the death penalty, all parties that believe in democracy must respect the people’s will.”
Erdogan said that 9,004 people had so far been taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in the attempted coup, in addition to 933 arrested. He said the security services had lists of suspects but that laws had prevented them from being investigated. After the involvement of the Hizmet movement, led by preacher Fethullah Gulen, in the coup was established, intelligence and security agencies arrested them, he said.
He said some of those detained and arrested had named additional people during questioning, and some had admitted receiving instructions from Gulen. He said the attempted coup had killed 200 people, some of whom were run over by tanks. The state’s role, he said, is to arrest anyone suspected of involvement in the crime and refer them to the judiciary. Those proven involved would be held accountable, and those found innocent would be released.
Asked about French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault’s statement that the failed coup in Turkey did not give the Turkish president a “blank check” to disregard democratic principles, Erdogan said: “I do not know what the French minister said. If France wants lessons in democracy, we are capable of giving them.”
He continued: “France took security measures and carried out mass detentions after suffering several terrorist attacks. It also declared a state of emergency for three months, extended it for another three months, and then extended it for six months. France, which allows itself to speak about human rights, expelled Romanian citizens from its territory, while Turkey receives millions of Iraqi and Syrian refugees.”
He said US Secretary of State John Kerry had refuted reports that Turkey’s NATO membership was in jeopardy if the arrests continued. He also said NATO’s head had called him and affirmed support for the Turkish authorities’ efforts to confront the coup and strengthen democracy.
Details of the Coup Attempt
Returning to the details, Erdogan said the attempt began on the evening of Friday, July 15, while he was on vacation at a hotel in Marmaris. “I first heard the news from my brother-in-law. I did not believe it at first, but developments confirmed it,” he said.
Asked about the role of intelligence, Erdogan said there may have been a gap in the intelligence service. Had it been working well, he said, the “terrorist cell” that attempted the coup would not have formed. At the same time, he said all intelligence agencies around the world have gaps, as demonstrated by the many terrorist attacks that occur.
He said the authorities regained control of the country within 12 hours of the start of the attempted coup but did not know how many people were involved. He did not rule out further plans by what he described as this terrorist group, referring to Gulen’s movement.
Erdogan said that after confirming the coup attempt had begun, he traveled by helicopter to Dalaman and then to Istanbul. He faced several difficulties on the journey, but the situation was fully under control within 12 hours. He said he had taken office with 52% of the people’s votes and should therefore be removed only with the people’s consent. This, he said, was why people responded immediately to his call to take to the streets.
On cooperation with the opposition, he said: “We are open to cooperation with the opposition and seek to strengthen it. The prime minister held a meeting with opposition parties. I am the people’s president and take pride in meeting all its groups. This is also an issue that concerns the country, and everyone has the right to participate in resolving it.”
Gulen’s Extradition
Regarding Turkey’s request for the United States to extradite Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, Erdogan said his government had given the US government evidence proving Gulen’s involvement in the attempted coup.
Erdogan also criticized Gulen’s followers for placing him at the level of a deity and describing him as closer to them than their jugular vein, when in fact it is Almighty God who is closer to His servants than their jugular vein.
Regarding the downing of the Russian aircraft, Erdogan said it had not yet been established whether the incident was connected to the coup group. He confirmed that the two pilots responsible were being investigated and said the judiciary would reveal the truth.
Asked about the positions of some Arab countries, such as Egypt and Syria, that welcomed the coup in its first hours, Erdogan said that the peoples of Syria and Egypt longed for democracy. He said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi had nothing to do with democracy, had overthrown a president elected by the people, and had killed thousands of his own people. He also said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had killed more than 600,000 of his people.