Fear that Turkey will become more religious in wake of failed coup

According to a Fox News report," Shouts of “Allahu Akbar” and sermons blaring from speakers continue to echo throughout the cosmopolitan districts of Istanbul in the wake of Friday’s failed military coup, creating a “surreal” scene and stoking fears a nation that remained proudly secular for the last century could be hurtling down the path to full-blown Islamic rule."

Turkey has been a secular county for nearly a century but the rhetoric of Erdogan has become increasingly religious in recent years. There have also been crackdowns on the judiciary system, the press and critics.

The nations fervent Muslims have also been steadily moving from smaller cities and villages into the secular cities of Istanbul and Ankara. Erdogan's urgent call to the people during the attempted coup to defend the country was answered by large numbers of loyals.

Pual Loomis, an American who was in Istanbul's Taksim Square Saturday night said," there was a truck with enormous speakers parked next to the main Ataturk statue, blaring first a sermon by an imam, during which everyone stood quietly with their hands held out. hen the soundtrack switched to a `Recep Tayyip Erdogan’ chant set to a beat, and the crowd went wild.

“Religious fervor and support of Erdogan seemed to have fused into one,” he mused, calling the scene “surreal.”

Secular women are reporting that since the failed coup they have begun dressing more modestly out of fear. People have reported being attacked for drinking in the streets of Istanbul's secular district of Kadikoy.

Erdogen has arrested over 9,000 public servants including policemen, military officers and judges in an attempt to purge Turkey of those behind the attempted coup. Many are concerned that the coup is now serving as a cover for Erdogen's ridding the country of any opposition.

Erdogen has still not ruled out the possibility of imposing the death sentence on those he blames for plotting the coup.

There is a lot of fear over Turkey's future.

קישורים:
Erdogan's appeal to Islamists in wake of failed coup spurs fears for Turkey's future

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