Turkey frees PM advisor detained over Gulen linksJune 17, 2017 - 18:14 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish authorities on Saturday, June 17 freed the top advisor to Prime Minister Binali Yildirim detained on suspicion of links to the movement of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen blamed for last year's failed coup, state media reported, according to AFP. Birol Erdem, a former senior justice ministry official, was released under judicial supervision which means he should still face trial, a date for which has yet to be set. He had been taken into custody in Ankara earlier this month along with his wife Gulumser Erdem. Unlike her husband, she was, however, placed under arrest by an Ankara court ahead of trial, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Erdem, who was questioned for three days, had been accused of seeking to violate the constitution and being a leader of "an armed terror group". President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to wipe out Gulen's influence in Turkey after the failed July 15 coup seeking to oust him from power. Gulen denies any involvement in the coup. A state of emergency declared days after the coup has since seen about 50,000 people arrested and over 100,000 lose their jobs, the biggest purge in the country's modern history. But there has been criticism the purge has touched few at the heart of power and Erdem was one of very few top civilian officials to have been detained. Reports at the time said Erdem was detained after other suspects had named him in their testimonies. In a separate development, the son-in-law of Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbas, Omer Faruk Kavurmaci, was detained again by police on suspicion of business links to Gulen. Kavurmaci had been detained in October but was released in May on health grounds as he suffers from epilepsy. This had sparked angry claims he had benefited from nepotistic and preferential treatment. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | About 32,000 rally in Yerevan to deman Pashinyan’s resignation About 31,700 people attended an opposition rally on Thursday, May 9 in Yerevan demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Armenian, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister to meet in Almaty Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov will meet in Almaty. Viva-MTS: Tech solutions to modernize infrastructure of border village The border village has been the focus of Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values since 2015. Ucom's fixed network launched in Artashat To mark this occasion, the company has introduced a special offer exclusively for Artashat residents. |