On Jan. 22, about 30 people were detained as part of the investigation
of the alleged coup plot. They included eight army officers, a police chief
and eight police officers.
In mid-January, a special security court in Istanbul sent four
active-duty military officers to jail. Critics, including jurists, have
called the trials unconstitutional and reflective of a dictatorship.
In the latest crackdown, Turkish police also arrested a union chairman
and a leading researcher. Police searched the headquarters of the Turkish
Metal Union in Ankara as well as a private television channel.
"I hope this situation will fade away," Erhan Ozbek, the union chairman,
said as he was taken away by police.
The Dogan news agency reported that members of Turkey's Special
Operations Forces Unit have been detained. The agency cited the arrest of
the commander of an SOF branch, identified as Ayhan Atabek.
Turkey's military General Staff has expressed alarm over the arrests of
officers, including three retired generals. In an effort to reduce tension,
Chief of Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug and Erdogan agreed to weekly consultations.
