Turkish President calls for Morsi release

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish President Abdullah Gul appealed to Egypt's army-installed government on Friday, Aug 9, to return the country swiftly to democratic rule and allow all parties to take part in the political process, according to Reuters.

In an article published in the Financial Times, Gul urged the Egyptian authorities to release the detained former president, Islamist Mohamed Morsi, who was overthrown by the army last month, but stopped short of calling for his return to office.

"The Egyptian people have almost been split into two camps, each of which is rallying dangerously against the other. This situation is worrying and unsustainable," he wrote.

Egypt's interim government has promised its own transition plan, leading to new elections in nine months time. But what role Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood would have in this, if any at all, is unclear. Most of its leaders have been jailed.

More than 300 people have been killed in political violence since Morsi's overthrow and the security forces have threatened to dismantle two protest camps where his supporters are making a stand, raising concern that more lives will be lost.