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Turkey calls state of emergency

Thursday, 21 July 20163 min read

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has established a state of emergency for three months following last Friday’s failed coup.

It means the government will be able to enforce curfews, restrict or suspend rights and freedoms, have tighter control on the media and greater powers of arrest.

Since the coup, officials have rounded up more than 50,000 state employees who have been sacked or suspended, while academics have been banned from travelling overseas and teachers and university heads have been forced to resign.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said since Friday’s coup the security environment ‘remains potentially volatile’.

"Flights to, from and through airports in Turkey are returning to normal, although some disruption remains," it said.

It advised travellers to turn up at the airport earlier for security checks and to check with their airline or travel company before travelling.

"If you’re in Turkey, you should follow the advice of the local authorities, closely monitor travel advice and contact your airline or travel company for more information," it said.

"In Istanbul and Ankara demonstrations may occur at short notice. You should be vigilant, particularly in areas where crowds may gather, and stay well away from any demonstrations. Take sensible precautions if you’re near any military or security forces. Roadblocks are in place in some areas."

It said coastal resorts don’t appear to be significantly affected at present, but warned: "You should be vigilant in resort areas. Security force activity may be visible from some resorts."