Turkey’s state of emergency commission makes first decisions on dismissed public sector staff

ANKARA

Turkey’s State of Emergency Procedures Investigation Commission on Dec. 22 made its first decisions on public sector staff who had been dismissed with state of emergency decrees in the wake of last year’s failed coup attempt, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

Among the commission’s first decisions were provisions on both reinstating and rejection of applications by public sector personnel.

According to the report quoting an official, a total of 103,276 public sector staff have applied to be reinstated to their jobs since May 22, after being dismissed in the aftermath of the July 2016 failed coup attempt.

The report did not provide any information on the number of those who succeeded or failed in appealing their dismissals.

Those who have been cleared of accusations would be reinstated to their former positions within 15 days, the report said.

In addition, those whose appeals were rejected will also be able to take their cases to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors.

Meanwhile, the assessment processes on other applications over the failed coup attempt has been ongoing in the commission.

Tens of thousands of staff in the civil service, police, military and judiciary were sacked under emergency powers, with some subsequently arrested and jailed, over alleged ties to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), accused of masterminding the attempted takeover.

The commission was established with a decree law issued on Jan. 23 to allow civil servants to appeal legal action taken against them under the state of emergency imposed following the coup attempt.

It consists of seven members along with a team of 200 people including inspectors, law officials, accountants, investigation judges and transcribers working in the commission.