ANKARA (AA) – The reintroduction of the death penalty is not “currently” being considered by the Turkish government, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said Tuesday.
However, he left the door open for the sentence to be reintroduced through parliamentary consensus.
Speaking to reporters at Cankaya Palace in the capital Ankara, he said those convicted of involvement in Friday’s failed military coup would face the most severe punishment under the current legal system.
Turkey outlawed the death penalty in 2004 but there have been growing calls for its return following the coup attempt, which saw more than 240 people lose their lives.
“Democracies cannot disregard the demands of the public,” Kurtulmus said. “Currently, capital punishment is not on the agenda of our government. However, if the public demands and the negotiations with other parties in parliament really require something like this, it belongs among the next steps.”
The government has said the attempted coup was organized by the followers of U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state.
