Prosecutors in Turkey have authorized the detention of almost 700 more suspects for an attempted July 2016 coup that has already seen some 80,000 people jailed and about 150,000 removed from their jobs in the country’s military or civil service. The state-run Anadolu news agency reported that 157 of the warrants were issued for serving or former military officers. Authorities continue to blame Muslim leader Fethullah Gulen, living in the United States in self-exile, for being behind the takeover attempt, which claimed about 250 lives. Gulen denies the charge. Critics of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan say he has been using the attempted coup as cover for consolidating his power and lowering the degree of democracy in the country. Erdogan regularly accuses Gulen’s supporters of having risen to key positions of influence in the country, necessitating the continued crackdown.
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