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The Turkish government is increasing its efforts to detain those it deems responsible for the weekend's failed coup attempt. It has arrested around 6,000 members of the judiciary and military, including top judges and senior-ranking generals. It has also suspended nearly 8,000 police officers suspected of having links to the coup attempt. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to purge all government institutions of what he calls the "virus" that caused the uprising. The president is taking a very hard line with all those suspected of wrongdoing and has announced that Turkey would consider reinstating the death penalty. This would hurt Turkey's efforts to join the European Union.
Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag announced that: "There are currently around 6,000 detentions. It will surpass 6,000. The legal process on these will continue." He added that: "Suspects are being charged with membership of an armed terrorist organisation and of attempting to overthrow the government of the Turkish Republic using force and violence, or of attempting to completely or partially hinder its function." At least 290 people were killed and thousands wounded in the coup attempt. President Erdogan addressed the country via mobile telephone, urging people to "take to the streets" to defeat the coup and to reclaim democracy. Forces loyal to the president soon retook control of the country.
