European body hails end of emergency rule in Turkey

By Serife Cetin

STRASBOURG (AA) - The Council of Europe on Wednesday welcomed the decision to lift state of emergency in Turkey.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Spokesman for the Secretary-General of Council of Europe, Daniel Holtgen, said: “It is a good thing that it has not been extended again and finally it has coming to an end.”

Also stating that the council was aware of the new proposals on anti-terror measures in Turkey, he said: “The secretary-general [Thorbjorn Jagland] emphasize that all such legislation should be compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.”

He added that the Council of Europe was ready to assist Turkey in this regard.

Turkey's state of emergency enforced in the wake of the defeated 2016 coup attempt will be lifted in a few days.

Turkey declared a state of emergency for the first time on July 20, 2016 following a defeated coup attempt orchestrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.